Rescue me
by KatemonLazuli
Summary: A Bamon S8 fanfiction (S8 hasn't aired yet). After Damon and Enzo escaped from the vault, possessed by the Creature, Bonnie tries everything to bring them back, and save them. Along the way, she realizes she made some mistakes in her life. Between denied feelings and illusions, which one will she choose ? It's time for everyone to face their inner truths... #Bamon #Stelena #Forwood
1. How does it feel like ?

**Chapter 1 : How does it feel like ?  
**

* * *

 _ ****** 3 months after Damon and Enzo's disappearance ******_

Water was running down the shower glass, soaking the floor, as some drops were falling on the bath mat. The daylight was shining in the room, illuminating the giant bathroom of the eldest Salvatore, creating a very bright and heartwarming atmosphere. Staring absently at the mirror in front of her, the beautiful caramel-skinned woman contrasted with it, a look of torment on her face. She was holding the shower head, deep into her thoughts. But what drew attention were the salty tears running down her cheeks, in perfect rythm with the water drops. A feeling of despair, suffering and sadness was brought out by this attractive woman, who seemed captivated by her own reflection in the luxurious mirror.

 **Bonnie's POV :**

I feel like I am drowning.

It's been three months, but the feeling is the same. It hasn't changed. This need to find _them_ , make sure they're okay, stop them from changing _completely_ into something none of us can recognize. And this infuriating, nerve-wracking _loneliness_. Oh sure, I have Caroline : the _last_ best friend I have left by the way , since the other two are in bad shape. And Stefan. He has been very sweet, nice and gentle with me : I know he feels sorry for me, honestly. But as much as they try to be there for me, it's not _enough._

After feeling unloved, miserable and lonely for so long, everything was finally getting better since Damon's dessication : I was happy with Enzo, loved, saved, protected. Damon worked hard to earn my forgiveness, and I _did_ forgive him. Just before this _fucking_ Creature took them away from me. And now I was back to the first point. I was _really_ starting to think the _whole_ universe was against me having a _happy ending_ , for once. All I was asking for was having the chance to taste hapiness for a moment, before everything went back to being screwed up. I was _tired_.

In 1994, I told Damon _hope_ was the only thing keeping me going, but right now even _hope_ was not enough. I was losing it. I just needed them to be _there,_ with me : was that too much to ask ?

Wiping away the tears cascading down my cheeks, I sighed and stepped out of the shower. I grabbed the nearest towel and wrapped it around my body, before taking a look at my reflection in the mirror. Misery was written all over my face, and I looked like shit. I had shadows under my eyes, due to the lack of sleep, my skin looked like it was wrinkled from all the worrying, and my usual sparkling green eyes were darker : the sadness of loneliness replaced the joy of happiness. That's what happened when the people you cared about, and loved the most, were snatched away from you so _abruptly_.

Since we opened the vault and found no one inside, I've been holding my emotions back : I didn't want Stefan and Caroline to worry about me, when we already had Damon and Enzo to worry about. So I've been bottling it all up, only letting some tears escape my eyes when I was alone, under the shower. It was hard waking up every morning, knowing my boyrfriend _and_ my best friend were probably getting even more evil, completely swallowed by the darkness of that Creature. The worst for me, was being _helpless_ : losing my powers _once more_ made me even more miserable, useless, and unable to do _anything_ to bring them back. It was _so_ frustrating.

I got out of the bathroom, getting the floor a little wet, as I walked towards one of Damon's drawers, in which I had put my clothes.

After the disappearance of Damon and Enzo, Stefan suggested I move in with him and Caroline, at the Boarding House. They both thought it was safer : this way we could protect each other all the time, and work faster together. I didn't really have to think about it before accepting : I didn't want to stay alone at the cabin now that Enzo was _gone_ and I had nowhere else to go, since I left Whitmore when _The Armory_ was after me. So I packed all my stuff, and Stefan told me to make myself at home, choosing any bedroom I wanted among the many ones.

Obviously, I chose _Damon's_ : I missed him _so_ much, and _still_ do, so it was the _closest_ I could get to him. Smelling his scent, seeing his stuff and just taking in Damon's _signature_ , comforted me a little. It was like he was only on a _trip_ , and would come back soon. Except we weren't sure he would _at all_ , just like Enzo. I didn't remove anything that belonged to Damon when I moved in his bedroom. Otherwise, it would have broken this _illusion_ I made up in my head, of everything being normal , and him coming back at some point. Sometimes, I expected him to burst into his bedroom, with this _careless_ way of his, drinking from a bottle of _Bourbon_ , before collapsing on the bed, legs crossed at his ankles. Then, he would take a look at his bedroom and my stuff spread everywhere around it, before saying something sarcastic like : _« Missed me ? »._ But I knew it wouldn't happen. Instead, I found an empty drawer and put all my clothes in it. Still, it felt _weird_ : sleeping in _his_ bed, taking a shower in _his_ bathroom, using _his_ towels, and yet _him_ not being _here._

Stefan and Caroline said nothing about it, but I knew they understood : I just needed to feel _close_ to them, and I couldn't do that with Enzo right now... but I could with Damon, since he lived here. I hesitated, but decided to take Enzo's guitar at the cabin, and brought it here. I placed it against the front bed, and _never_ touched it since then. It was just an object, but it felt like he was there with me too, though much less present than Damon.

I put my clothes on : a blue sweater and black pants, before going back in the bathroom to hang the towel, for it to dry. Then, I untied my messy bun, and picked up my hairbrush, proceeding to make myself a little more _presentable_ , by improving my hairstyle. I kept brushing my hair, while walking around in the bedroom, cleaning it, gathering some clothes or things I left lying around, and putting them back in place.

As I was about to close another drawer, I noticed _Damon's letter_ on top of the furniture, teasing me. I still haven't opened it yet. One day, as I was searching for something, I found it in one of Damon's drawers. I knew I gave it back to him when we fought, but I didn't think he kept it. So, I took it out, and put it here. I didn't think about it until now, much more focused on my researches to find Enzo and Damon. But, as I stopped brushing my hair and stared at it, the desire to rip it open and satisfy my curiosity, _overwhelmed_ me. I wanted to know what he had written to me in that letter, before abandoning me. Even though he was forgiven, I just needed to read his words. In a situation like that, where he was missing and could become another person, completely different from the Damon I loved, this letter was a way to have a last conversation with him. Before he was taken by the creature, before he was taken away from me. The letter contained his _words_ , his _thoughts_ , his _feelings_ , his _handwriting_ , and I could imagine his voice while reading it : it was everything I _needed_ right now. Yet, something was holding me back : maybe the fact that, after finally reading that letter, I'd be even _more_ miserable. Because he certainly _wasn't_ that person anymore : the Creature took his humanity away, and whatever was left from the feelings he felt in the moment he wrote that letter, was _stolen_ by darkness. Besides, I couldn't do that to myself : I would only suffer more. I had to be wiser, protect myself from any more pain. I also needed to believe I would never open this letter, because we _would_ find Damon, and Enzo, and I'll ask him _myself_ what he wrote in it. So, I ran my fingers along the soft envelope containing the longing paper, and left it there.

Caroline's voice got me out of my thoughts at the same moment, as I heard her knock on the door before calling softly :

 **\- Bonnie ? Is it safe to enter ?**

 **\- Hum... Yeah, I'm dressed. You can come in, Care.** , I answered, clearing my throat from the sadness I was feeling seconds ago.

 **\- Hey... I just wanted to inform you that Ric and I decided to ask the twins to do a locator spell to find Damon and Enzo, since our researches have been getting us nowhere.** , my vampire best friend told me, lifting her eyes to look at me.

 **\- What ?! No !** , I exclaimed, turning around to face her. **I'm sure we can find them without using the twins' help. It might take longer, but we're _not_ going to use your kids to find them : they don't even know how to do a locator spell, nor control their magic ! ** , I refused, not wanting to involve them into this dangerous situation.

 **\- I know, Bonnie, but we honestly don't have much choices left.** , Caroline sighed, sitting on Damon's bed. **We tried _everything_ : Matt used his policeman _powers_ to improve our researches but found nothing, Tyler tried to track them with his wolf-pack but the Creature's _magic_ is probably hiding them from their senses, and Jeremy also attempted something but it led him nowhere either. Without mentioning all the work _we've_ been doing on our side. ** , she continued, looking resigned as she rubbed her forehead in defeat. **I discussed it with Ric when we started looking for Damon and Enzo just after they disappeared, and he told me he was okay with using the twins if we really didn't find them any other way. I'm okay with it too : it's a small spell, they won't get hurt.** , she finished, looking up at me to see my reaction.

Sitting next to her, I put my hands on my laps, and stared at the floor. It was true : we didn't have many solutions left. At least, if the twins did a locator spell, we would find them rapidly, and we could finally establish a plan to bring them back and kill that Creature. The last information we had on them was three months ago : they were on the West Coast and had killed 60 people so far. Since then, _nothing_. It was our only chance.

 **\- I guess Stefan couldn't manage to contact _Valerie_ either, huh ? ** , I tried, in a last attempt to protect the girls, my _nieces_.

 **\- No...** , my best friend sighed.

 **\- It's not about them getting hurt, because I know a locator spell is nothing. It's about involving them in this messy and dangerous situation : it could _backfire_ on us, and on _them_. ** , I confessed. I wanted Enzo and Damon back, but not if it meant risking my nieces' lives.

 **\- I think the same way, Bon. But we need to find them : Stefan needs his brother, and I know you do too. And you also need Enzo. We'll protect the girls at any cost. And though I don't like using them either, they're our _only_ chance to bring them back home. Damon's also Ric's friend, and even though he was pissed at him for leaving, he wants him back just as much. ** , the bubbly mom said.

 **\- I guess we're doing it, then.** , I nodded, resigned. **Do we need to go all the way to Dallas ?** , I asked, meeting my green eyes with Caroline's blue ones.

 **\- I don't think so. I'm going to call Ric and discuss it with him.** , she replied, stroking my hand gently. **We're gonna find them, Bonnie. _I promise._ And no one will get hurt. ** , she swore, before offering me a small smile, and leaving the bedroom.

 **\- If only...** , I muttered, sighing and collapsing on the bed, ready to think about all the reasons why it could go _wrong_.

* * *

 **Stefan's POV :**

Making pancakes in the morning was my new hobby.

Well, _in fact_ , it was one of the only things that made me forget about my current problem : _Damon_. Yeah, some things never changed, no matter what the century. This _idiot_ just had to go and play _hero_ with Bonnie, getting trapped in the process, because, well, it was _Damon_ , and his plans never went as planned. I understood he wanted to win Bonnie back and save her life : she was her _best friend_ , but I thought he was aware of the Creature he was going to face, back then. It had already trapped Alex in the vault, and yet he fell for it the second it imitated _Elena's_ voice.

Besides, the more I looked at it, the more their relationship seemed nothing else but _toxic_ to me, in every possible way. The fact that _Elena's_ voice was the thing who got him trapped and possessed by the Creature said a lot. She was his weakness, but not in the good way : he wasn't capable of _rational_ thinking when she wasn't by his side. Being so _dependent_ of each other couldn't be good for a relationship, and I didn't want that for either Elena, or Damon. However, she made him happy, I couldn't deny that : and who was I to deny happiness to my brother, after knowing his heartache over _Katherine_?

Honestly, I didn't know what I was supposed to feel : sadness, hurt, anger, disappointment ? It was a mix of all that, to be clear. I was fed up with saving him, thinking he had evolved, and being disappointed once again. But I _loved_ him : he was my _brother_ , and I _couldn't_ nor _didn't want_ , to give up on him. I _needed_ Damon : after everything we went through, he became my _cornerstone_ , and I couldn't live without him.

So, his absence was doing a number on me. Each second of the day, I thought about what he was doing at the moment : probably killing _hundreds_ of people with Enzo, becoming even more evil and dangerous than a vampire who switched off his humanity. I didn't want to lose my _only_ brother to _darkness_ : it wasn't even an option. No matter how long it would take to bring him back, I _would_. For Bonnie, for Elena, for me, and for _him_. I was rather determined, and I refused to be overwhelmed by my emotions.

Smelling that one of the pancakes was burning, I turned off the baking tray, putting it in the trash can, and placing the other ones in a plate. Caroline entered the kitchen seconds after.

 **\- It smells burned pancakes in here.** , she sniffed, lifting her eyebrows, as she looked at me.

 **\- Really ? I didn't notice.** , I teased back, smiling at her, as she rolled her eyes.

 **\- You were deep thinking again, weren't you ?** , my girlfriend guessed with a soft voice, before planting a gentle kiss on my left cheek.

 **\- Yeah... Can't really help it when your brother's _somewhere_ in the United States, killing people and _literally_ becoming the devil because of some Creature who took his humanity, while you can't do _anything_ but sit there in hope to find some information on how to save his stupid ass. ** , I blurted all in one breath, eyes wide, as I put the plate of pancakes on the kitchen table, knowing Bonnie would come to take her breakfast in some minutes.

Caroline sighed, rubbing her hand against my neck, in an attempt to comfort me.

 **\- I'm sorry. You don't deserve that, not after everything you already went through.** , she told me, resting her head on my shoulder.

 **\- Maybe, but I can't do anything about it : it's life.** , I replied, kissing the top of her head.

Things should get better since her and Alaric agreed to use the twins' magic to do a locator spell, after we tried everything we could to find them without it, but I doubted it. Findind them was the first step : kidnapping them, and saving them, was another thing. Much more complicated. And I had a feeling it would be anything but easy. This Creature was the most evil thing we've ever seen since knowing about the supernatural, and no one knew how to kill it yet. We were walking towards the _unknown_.

 **\- Hey, Stefan.** , Bonnie's small voice suddenly echoed in the kitchen, as she stepped in.

 **\- Hey, Bonnie. Slept well ?** , I welcomed her, as Caroline pulled away from our embrace.

 **\- You could say that.** , she shrugged, and I shared a knowing look with her, before she sat at the table.

 **\- I'm gonna call Alaric. Be back soon.** , my blond girlfriend informed us, pecking my lips and smiling at Bonnie, as she nodded while eating her pancake.

Once she left, I sat in front of Bonnie, taking a pancake too. I studied her closely, and noticed the bags under her eyes, as well as marks of tears on her cheeks. My heart ached for her too : we weren't as close as we were when I started dating Elena, because things took another turn when Damon came back to Mystic Falls, but I cared for her a lot. She had sacrificed so many things for me, Elena and Damon's happiness : she deserved some herself. She lost her Grams, her mother was turned into a vampire, her father was killed in front of her because of me and Damon, and _still_ , she was here, ready to save my brother because she loved him and he was her best friend. It was quite extraordinary, really. I admired her a lot for that. That's why I was happy for her when I learned she found love with Enzo. But this _thing_ ripped it away from her, and she was left alone, without nothing and no one, all over again. She had to be very _strong_ emotionally, to take all those blows and still find the strength to stand up at the end of the day. Bonnie reminded me of Damon, in a way : she was like the female version of him, without the impulsivity and seducing side. She was very _powerful_ , just like him : maybe that's why she was the only one who called him out on his shit and could make him think about it, which led to their profound bond. If Elena wasn't here, I'd say they were a good match.

 **\- What ? Do I have something on my face ?** , I heard her ask suddenly.

I didn't notice I was staring at her so hard, until then.

 **\- Oh, no. Sorry.** , I apologized, clearing my throat. **It's just that... I realized I haven't been there for you since Damon came back into my life, and I kind of regret it now. I really looked forward to being your friend back then, and I guess I forgot about it, somewhere along the way.** , I admitted, as she looked up at me with a surprised expression.

She paused for a second, thinking, before answering :

 **\- Well, a lot happened since that dinner at Elena's, so... I'm not really mad at you.** , Bonnie smiled a little, playing with her fork.

I nodded, agreeing with her, and made eye contact once again :

 **\- I know : things went so fast after Damon came back to Mystic Falls, and danger kept coming our way.** , I sighed. **Still, I should have digged that friendship we started a little more. I didn't do a good job at supporting you, after learning you were a Bennett witch. I genuinely regret it, and I also apologize for everything I've put you through since you met me.** , I insisted, watching as she stopped eating her plate, interested.

 **\- Thank you : it means a lot to me, Stefan.** , she said, chewing on her lips. **But you're not responsible for everything : the choices _I_ made for myself matter too. I wasn't always fair to me, but that's a lesson I learned, thanks to Damon. ** , she confessed, staring at me sincerely, while frowning. **You suffered too Stefan, maybe that's why we didn't really... have the time to be closer friends. So, you don't have to apologize to me.** , she finished, squeezing my hand in an affectionate way.

I smiled at her and nodded, squeezing her hand back. The thought of her crying alone in her bedroom , when me and Caroline couldn't hear, suddenly came into my mind, and I felt like she needed to know she didn't have to suffer alone in this situation : I could understand her, probably better than anyone, right now.

 **\- And : I care about you, Bonnie. So, whenever you feel like talking, or crying, or just distracting yourself from anything... just know I'm here for you. I mean it.** , I told her, waiting for her reaction, wearing my famous _serious look_.

 **\- I'll remember it.** , she answered after some seconds, a smile forming on her lips for a brief moment.

 **\- Good.** , I nodded, before standing up to leave the kitchen. I had to figure out a way to kidnap Damon and Enzo, before we find them.

Just as I reached the door frame, Bonnie spoke up.

 **\- Stefan ?** , she called, before I acknowlodged her with a « yeah ? ». **I'm here for you too, if you need it.** , she returned, smiling at me sweetly.

I simply nodded at her, smiling back, before going to my bedroom. I was glad I had this conversation with Bonnie. Things tended to be less hard when you knew you had someone to help you get through it. Someone who understood you.

* * *

 **Damon's POV :**

It was weird. Being possessed.

Or more like, a Creature taking all the good in you, depriving you of any possible humanity. I was happy the way I was : killing people, not giving a shit, having fun doing it. But, at the same time, I still knew it was _wrong_. And that's exactly what made it so right, and so _good,_ for me. I loved being humanityless, soul _less._ I couldn't explain it. I felt like it was my true nature. However, there was still this part of me, in my _distant_ soul, who knew I wasn't that person, who wanted to stop it all. This little remaining part of the good that _once_ existed in me, was the _only_ thing left from the person I was before the _thing_ possessed me. It was like a small inner voice, a low whisper, telling me it wasn't my true self, that what I was doing was wrong. But I ignored it, because the evil, bad, wrong other part of me was _way_ louder, and much more _convincing_. In fact, my soul was _trapped_ somewhere inside me, due to the doing of the Creature. But it was _so_ far away I couldn't reach it enough to bring it back to the surface, and change, going back to who I was in the first place. So, I simply shut down this wise part of me, and let the dark side take over.

That's why I _couldn't_ be saved : my soul was _asleep._ Hidden behind a very big amount of darkness, and _nothing_ could awaken it. The Creature, and _I,_ made sure of it. It was the same for Enzo : he had become my partner in crime, helping me to massacre _hundreds_ of people and towns, with pleasure. Our _dynamic duo_ was just another way to make things even funnier, having someone to share our feats with.

We didn't _want_ to be saved : _nobody_ mattered anymore now.

 **\- Where do I put this one ?** , Enzo asked me, holding the bleeding head of a man I decapitated some minutes ago, with a smile.

 **\- Oh hum... Well, next to Marco. Or was it _Mark_ ? I don't remember. ** , I frowned, lifting my eyebrows in an uncaring way.

 **\- Actually, his name was _Tom_. ** , my friend answered me, looking at the man's head. **_Mark_ was his brother : the blond one, with green eyes, freckles, the most annoying voice on Earth, and the best-looking dead body ? He was the owner of that gorgeous house. ** , he specified, holding Tom's head in one hand to show me the different parts of Mark's physique he was enumerating, with the other one.

 **\- Hmm, doesn't ring a bell.** , I tapped my chin. **I thought he was the cook.** , I admitted, snorting. **I don't really recall the names of the _26_ people who worked in that rich family's mansion. Without mentioning the actual _4_ members of the family living... _oops,_ who _lived_ , here. **, I winked, smirking in an unapologetic way.

 **\- Right. I lost count. Too many _museum piece_ names. **, Enzo agreed, rolling his eyes. **So : where do I put him ?** , he questionned again, scanning the room for a free place to set that head down, since the room was already very much full of heads and bodies.

 **\- Wherever you want, _old friend_. Just add him to our beautiful _collection_. ** , I waved absently, stepping over the mother's corpse carelessly , to reach a bottle of Vodka.

Enzo shrugged, taking the man's head by the hair and walking into the office of the former father and owner of the house. He climbed on the desk and hung it above it, near the other heads, who formed a very _realistic_ fresco. It was supposed to replace the usual deer heads, or lion and bear ones you saw as _decoration_ , in some fancy offices.

 **\- What do you think, Damon ?** , he called, getting off the desk while admiring his master piece.

 **\- Great job, Enzo ! I _love_ the style. Worthy of a magazine of design and decoration. **, I clapped, taking a photo with my phone. **I'll even make it my new wallpaper.** , I added, selecting the picture on my phone to replace it with the one of my former self and Elena, to get it done with.

Enzo shook his head but patted me on the shoulder, gesturing towards the door.

 **\- Come on, it's been one hour since we killed the last one : I need new victims to slaughter.** , he stated, winking and making his way towards the exit, stepping over the numerous dead bodies with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

 **\- Coming right away.** , I replied, setting my phone back into my pocket.

I followed his steps, but stopped next to a woman's corpse, staring at it weirdly.

 **\- Hey, Enzo ?** , I called him, not taking my eyes away from the brunette dead woman.

 **- _What ?_** , he acknowledged me, kind of annoyed. **Move your ass, I need to kill.** , he groaned.

 **\- Just look at this woman's face : she's _funny._ ** , I said. **She looks like a peanut that has been soaked in some rotten blood, right out of a constipated dude.** , I described, frowning and looking at her closer.

 **\- Does that even make sense ?** , Enzo wondered out loud, rolling his eyes.

Slowly, he made his way towards me, squatting to get a better angle.

 **- _It does._** , he answered his earlier rhethorical question, wide-eyed. **You're actually right, man. This one's one of a kind : poor girl.** , he laughed, before high fiving me with an amused look.

 **\- Told you so, mate.** , I insisted, laughing with him too as we took another glance at _what's her face._ **Now, let's get going : should be some bar not so far away we could devastate.** , I suggested.

Enzo nodded and we left the house, climbing into our stolen car. The fun had just begun, and it was about to get _worse_.

* * *

 **Caroline's POV :**

Staring at the blank page of Elena's diary, I sighed deeply.

I really didn't know where to start, nor what to say about everything that was going on. I couldn't imagine what it would be like for her, once she opens that diary when she wakes up. She'll probably think she's gone _crazy_ while she was in her magical coma, reading all of that. _I_ would.

I called Alaric some minutes ago, informing him that the girls would be performing a locator spell to find Damon and Enzo, since it was our last solution. He told me it was okay, and I talked a little while with Josie and Elizabeth, explaining to them what they were going to do, and _why._ The fact they were going to help their _auntie Bonnie_ made it much easier : they loved her a lot. However, I knew the hard part would be the spell itself : it was a small one but they were only 3 years old, they wouldn't be as concentrated and serious as an adult and _experimented_ witch. But Bonnie would be right by their side to teach them and guide them through it, so they wouldn't get hurt or do something crazy with their powers. I trusted Bonnie, so did Alaric : it was one of the reasons why we both accepted to use our girls. They would be okay.

Bringing my legs close to me, as I sat on the living-room couch with the diary on my laps, I decided to start this journal entry by telling Elena what changed in our lives, since Damon and Enzo got missing. I took my pen and started writing the first lines :

 _Dear Elena,_

 _As Stefan told you in the page before, a lot happened lately. Damon saved Bonnie, but him and Enzo got trapped in the vault, where the Creature took possession of them. As a result, here we are, looking for Damon and Enzo, who escaped from The Armory, though we still don't know how. So far, we know, thanks to Virginia (Alex Saint John's sister), that the Creature is very evil , and erases any humanity present in its victims : it's like they don't have a soul anymore, and are ruled by darkness and evilness._

 _It's been 3 months now. The last time we heard of them was precisely 3 months ago : they killed 60 people so far, and were on the West Coast. Since then, we haven't been able to find anything else. I'm sure they've made hundreds of victims by now. But it's not their fault._

 _Things changed a lot. Bonnie is devastated : she feels abandoned, and alone. She lost the two most important people of her life : her boyfriend, and her best friend. I think she's much more desperate and touched than what she lets us see. You know her : she's hiding her emotions because she doesn't want us to see her this weak. I feel so sad for her : I'd like to make things right again, she doesn't deserve this at all. After everything she's been through these last few years, our best friend is the most deserving one for happiness, at the moment._

 _Anyway, we had to make big decisions very rapidly after the desaster of the vault : Bonnie moved in with Stefan and I at the Boarding House, since we both thought it was safer if we could protect each other, under the same roof. Matt decided to leave Mystic Falls : he gave up on fighting, and I completely understand him. He's tired and fed-up with being the only human left here, facing danger and having to see the people he loves get hurt, or die. He wants to get as far away from this mess as possible, hence why he settled in New York. We don't have much contact with him for now : guess we're painful reminders of what he now wants to forget._

 _As for Alaric and the girls, they stayed in our house, in Dallas. I go to see them on weekends, and vice versa. Except Alaric doesn't come to Mystic Falls when he takes the girls to see me : we meet in a town, halfway accross Dallas and Mystic Falls. We want them to stay away from this dangerous town. It's not a permanent thing, but it will last and stay like this until we bring Damon and Enzo back. Because you have to believe me, Elena, we WILL bring them back. Stefan, even though he's hurt and worried about Damon's condition, is also very determined to save his brother. He's quite obsessing over killing the Creature and saving Damon, in fact. I think it's his way of forgetting and ignoring the pain of Damon's absence, and possible loss. Stefan needs to know there's a chance that he won't lose his only brother to darkness. I hope there is. Me, I'm trying to be there for everyone, and remain optimistic : for Bonnie, for Stefan, for Alaric and the girls. There has to be someone, in our little group, who doesn't let her emotions take control, and keeps her head up. I'm trying to be that person._

 _Now, we might have a plan : after trying by every way possible to find Damon and Enzo, Alaric and I accepted to use the girls'magic. So, they're going to do a locator spell to find them, directed by their aunt Bonnie (the best one when it comes to magic.) Yeah, that part is the hardest one for her I think, by the way : she still didn't get her powers back, and the feeling of being helpless and useless is eating her slowly. But I'm sure they'll come back : it's her nature, there's no reason for her to lose them like this. Hopefully the twins will find Damon and Enzo, and then Stefan will come with a plan to kidnap them, and bring them back home. We'll go from there, I guess._

 _I'll tell you all about it soon enough,_

 _Kisses, Care._

 **\- Writing to Elena again ?** , Stefan asked me, entering the living-room with a small smile.

I looked up at him, and smiled back. He was leaning against one of the couches, wearing that pensive face of his.

 **\- Yeah. Someone needs to keep her informed on the** _ **Damon and Enzo show.**_ , I sighed, putting the diary and the pen on the table next to me.

Standing up to give Stefan a kiss, I noticed he was holding his car keys in his right hand.

 **\- Where are you going ?** , I frowned, gesturing towards the keys with a questionning look.

 **\- I'm going to The Armory. I'm sure there are some information on the Creature here. We just have to search for it, and find it.** , he announced, sounding convinced.

I nodded, before giving him a little hug. Remembering he didn't know I called Alaric, I decided to tell him what we discussed over the phone.

 **\- I called Alaric.** , I informed him, watching as he set his green eyes on my blue ones, interested.

 **\- Oh. What did he say ?** , he asked, biting on his lips.

 **\- He's okay with it, I already told you.** , I reassured my boyfriend. **We only discussed details. Ric accepted to do an exception and bring the girls to the Boarding House to do the spell. He thinks it's better since everyone's here and all.** , I told him, crossing my arms above my chest.

 **\- When will they arrive ?** , Stefan wondered, frowning. I knew he wanted to do it as soon as possible : seconds were precious in our situation.

 **\- He said he'll take the first flight tomorrow morning. I expect him to be there by noon.** , I replied, shrugging.

 **\- Okay. It's perfect.** , he nodded, offering me a small smile. **Did you tell Bonnie ?**

 **\- No. I'm going to.** , I said, stepping away from his embrace. **Do you want me to come with you, at The Armory ?** , I asked, a little bit worried something might happen to him if he goes alone.

 **\- In fact, I think we should all go there : you, me, and Bonnie. There's more chance we find something with 3 brains working. And this way, we can protect each other if needed.** , my boyfriend suggested, waiting for my reply.

 **\- Good idea. We have to be careful : don't need another one of us possessed by this thing. I'll go tell Bonnie.** , I kissed him briefly, before walking to the kitchen to get Bonnie.

I really hoped we'd find something in The Armory : I couldn't think about any other place we would find information on the Creature, otherwise.

* * *

Climbing out of the car, Bonnie, Stefan and I walked towards the pretentious building of The Armory, a little bit nervous.

We didn't know if the Creature was still in there, but since we stayed at The Armory a little after Damon and Enzo got trapped, to try and open the vault, and that we didn't see it, we assumed it wasn't there anymore. I took a small glance at Bonnie, as we opened the door and entered slowly, noticing her pained expression. I think it was hard for her to come back here, after losing both Damon and Enzo in that same building. She seemed uncomfortable, and eyed every single furniture, or thing that came into view, as if she expected something terrible to happen again. I guess you could say she was _traumatized_ , in some way. Who wouldn't be, in the situation she was in ?

 **\- Okay.** , Stefan's voice interrupted my thoughts, and caught Bonnie's attention, as she stopped looking at everything. **Since we have no idea in which room we could find information on the vault and the Creature, I suggest we start searching downstairs, then upstairs. There are like 30 rooms in that building.** , he sighed, looking hopeless.

Bonnie raised her head at his statement, and her mood changed a little, as she replied :

 **\- We won't need to do that.** , my best friend refuted him. **While I was hiding in the cabin during those three years, Enzo showed me several maps of the building. He revealed many things to me, told me everything he learned about Alex and The Armory.** , she paused, looking at Stefan, then at me. **I know where Alex kept her files, on the secrets of The Armory.** , she admitted, gesturing for us to follow her, before starting to walk down the big hallway without another word.

 **\- Alright. Lead the way, then...** , Stefan said, raising his eyebrows, as he looked at me.

I shrugged, following Bonnie. She didn't really seem in the mood for conversation, as she walked rapidly across the corridors of The Armory, leading us to the room. She didn't even make sure we followed her. But I ignored it, knowing she was disturbed, and probably in a hurry to find any information about Damon and Ennzo's state, and get out of here as soon as possible.

* * *

 **Bonnie's POV :**

I didn't like coming back to The Armory, but I had no choice. I knew it was the only place we could find out more about the Creature. And hopefully, save both Damon and Enzo. I was in a weird mood : I didn't really want to talk, unless it was about the plan to save them, the vault, or the Creature. My mind was pretty _hell-bent_ on blocking any emotional conversation, and focus on our biggest problem. It was a way to avoid that pain I had been feeling since they disappeared, because I honestly couldn't take it anymore. It was starting to eat me from the inside, and I wanted to preserve myself from going completely _crazy_. It was the last thing we needed : a powerless, useless Bonnie Bennett , who lost her mind on top of it.

As I walked across the hallway of the giant building, passing in front of several doors without stopping, memories flooded my brain. As hard as I tried, I just couldn't help it, nor stop them from appearing. I saw the first time I came here, with Damon, and that Enzo trapped us, locking him in a room with a turning Tyler Lockwood. The fear I felt this day way genuine, and the most terrifying one I had ever experienced. Well, until the Creature possessed them. Then, I replayed our scene at the hospital, when Damon told me he never wanted me to get hurt anymore, nearly dying. I also remembered the speech I gave him before he locked himself up in that coffin, and his sorry face when he came back with flowers, and I slammed the door in his face. It was funny, how our relationship changed so quickly after he chose to dessicate, abandoning me. I was so angry, ready to forget him and cut him out of my life, back then. And I _did_ : that's when I met Enzo.

If I'm being honest with myself, Enzo had been a way to move on from Damon, and a way to get back this caring and protective side that I craved from someone. Except the hiding situation I was in at the moment, made me fall in love with him. I still doubted if it was pure love, or just the result of becoming deeply attached to the only person I saw in this special period of my life, though. I didn't want to know the answer, afraid it might break this illusion I made to myself, about being happy and in love. Something I had wanted since I came back from the 1994 Prison World. My feelings towards Enzo were something I relied on, something I held onto, because he was all I had since three years. He was all I knew, the only stability I had in my life, back then.

However, I had to admit that Damon's return, added to his determination to save my life and earn my forgiveness (which he did), shook me up, and turned my heart upside down. Those Salvatores...

 **\- It's here.** , I stopped in front of a big wooden door, closed by the famous electronic digital system of The Armory.

Stefan and Caroline stepped next to me, eyeing the imposing door.

 **\- Great.** , my vampire best friend answered enthusiastically, gripping her hands. **How do we enter ?** , she asked, noticing the digital system.

 **\- All the members of The Armory are now dead : the digital system shouldn't be working anymore.** , Stefan intervened, glancing at me for confirmation.

I nodded, pushing the door, and entering slowly. Seeing the door had opened, Caroline shrugged, eyes wide, before following my step. Stefan joined us, a look of concentration already present on his face, though we hadn't started researching anything yet.

* * *

Three hours later, and we still hadn't found anything.

Half of the files contained in the room were scattered all over the floor, and the table. Stefan was looking through some of them with Caroline, perched over the table, while I was flipping on my _55th_ one, cross-legged on the floor.

 **\- I swear The Armory had more secrets than the government itself !** , Caroline groaned, cracking her knuckles to ease the cramps of her hands.

 **\- Well, it _was_ a secret organization... ** , Stefan teased, lifting his eyebrows, as she hit his arm playfully.

 **\- Oh, shut up !** , she laughed, going back to reading her papers right after.

I smiled a little at their interaction. No matter how screwed up my life was right now, seeing them happy brought me a small amount of happiness too. I never told them, but Caroline's _zest for life_ , and Stefan's _determination_ , were the only things keeping me from falling apart. That, and the fact I wanted to remain strong, for Enzo and Damon. I wouldn't give up on them, just because some evil Creature decided to ruin my life, and theirs.

I took my eyes away from them, glancing back at the _nth_ file I pulled out from the giant office, shaking my head as they kept playing with each other.

Suddenly, something caught my eye on one of the pages. There was the symbol of The Armory on it. So far, it was normal. Except it was a stamp, like they used in the 1880's. Not something very common anymore. It also read _Darty Saint John's case._ And I remembered what Virginia Saint John told me, when I came back to the psychiatric hospital, to ask her what was in the vault.

 _« Well, that's a question everyone's been asking since my great grandfather first managed to open it. My great grandfather was only in there a few moments. »_

I blinked, standing up hurriedly , and rushing towards Caroline and Stefan, who were still working on their files.

 **\- Guys, I think I found something !** , I exclaimed, stepping in between them and placing the paper on the center of the table.

 **\- What's that ?** , Stefan questionned, stopping what he was doing, as Caroline did the same and focused on the paper I brought.

 **\- I didn't read it yet, but this paper wears the symbol of The Armory. On a stamp.** , I stated, looking at their confused faces.

 **\- The Armory signed all of their files with their symbol, I don't see what's special about this one.** , Caroline frowned, mirroring Stefan's expression as they both didn't get the point.

 **\- I know.** , I said, pausing. **But stamps like _this one_ were only used in the 1880's, and I remember Virignia told me her great grandfather, who worked for The Armory, opened the vault for the first time in 1882, and met the Creature. **, I continued, watching as their eyes widened, finally understanding.

 **\- As far as we know, something else could have happened in the 1880's, not related to the Creature.** , Stefan retorted, sounding skeptical, but hopeful.

 _Seriously ?_ Okay, I knew he was probably shielding himself from any more disappointment, but _come on_. He was supposed to be the determined one !

Shaking my head, as I grabbed the paper away from the table, I finished explaining myself.

 **\- That's not all.** , I shot him a look. **Look at the name of the file, on the left.** , I indicated, and they did so , looking over my shoulder. **It reads : _Darty Saint John 's case_. And Virginia told me her great grandfather was one of the victims of that Creature. ** , I added smartly.

 **\- We don't know if Darty Saint John was her great grandfather _for sure_. She didn't tell you his name, did she ? ** , Stefan raised his eyebrows, and I shook my head, trying not to slap him across the face. I was kind of... _unstable_ , at the moment.

 **\- I don't think it's a coincidence.** , I glared, annoyed, watching as Caroline shifted to where I was seated on the floor minutes ago, going through a bunch of files.

Stefan and I turned around, following her movements with our eyes.

 **\- What are you doing, Care ?** , I asked, intrigued.

 **\- There's something I've noticed, concerning the sorting method of The Armory.** , she informed us, searching through the discarded papers on the floor. **There are colors for each decade, and usually, the date is written at least on one page of the whole file.** , she explained, raising her head to meet our surprised look.

Only _Caroline Forbes_ would notice the sorting method of a _secret_ organization.

 **\- Which one was the file you found that paper in ?** , Caroline pressed, a light shining in her beautiful blue eyes.

 **\- Hum... This one.** , I gestured towards a brown enveloppe, which contained the paper I found.

 **- _Brown_. ** , she noticed, thinking for a second. **I think you got it, Bon. Brown is for the 18th Century. We just have to look for the date on one of the pages.** , my best friend grinned, proud of herself.

Stefan and I looked at her, mouth open, dumbfounded. How did she... ?

 **\- Don't ask me how.** , she rolled her eyes, reading my thoughts, as she stood up. **Just say thank you.** , she winked, giving Stefan the brown enveloppe.

I snorted, and watched closely as Stefan scanned the whole file with his eyes, hope flooding his green orbs.

 **\- There.** , he spoke, putting his finger on the 15th page. **The report is dated from _July, 1882._** , he smiled, showing us the nasty handwriting.

My heart warmed, and the small hint of hope I had in me became bigger, making the possibility to find them and save them more accurate. That was all I needed right now. _Hope_.

* * *

 **Damon's POV : **

Sitting in a bar, next to Enzo, I finished my last glass of Bourbon.

 **\- Alright, I need a refill.** , I exclaimed, winking at Enzo as he drank from a blond waitress.

 **\- You sure you don't want some ?** , he offered, gesturing towards the woman's bloody neck.

 **\- Oh no, go on and please yourself, buddy.** , I declined, watching as Enzo shrugged and went back to feeding from the innocent pretty waitress. **I've had enough of it while draining the entire bar. Remember : you let me do** _ **all**_ **the job ?** , I smirked, dry blood escaping the corners of my lips.

 **\- True. But you didn't exactly kill the _entire_ bar, Damon. ** , Enzo retorted, carelessly dropping the dead woman who he was drinking from, on the ground. **This little one in the back is still pretty much alive, though he's missing a hand.** , he smirked, pointing at the scared man hunched up against a wall.

I turned my head, spotting the man Enzo was refering to. He was probably 18 or 19 years old, not more. Pale white skin, dark hair, and beautiful brown eyes. Very common. As Enzo stated, I noticed his left hand was ripped out of his arm. It layed down on the floor, in a pool of fresh blood.

 **\- Oh. _Right_. ** , I frowned, staring at the frightened young boy. **I spared his life because I wanted to keep a bartender, to refill my glass. How could I forget ?** , I remembered, explaining myself to Enzo.

 **\- But you cut his left hand, man. Not sure he can do it properly, now.** , he laughed, patting my shoulder, as he sipped on his drink.

 **\- That's because I wanted it to be funny, experiment new things. We need to add some spice in our life, Enzo. Look.** , I deadpanned, facing my victim. **Hey, _Mister Handless_ over there, come and see me. ** , I called, watching as he unwillingly walked towards me, a terrorized expression on his face. **I compelled him to obey me.** , I clarified to Enzo, and he nodded.

Once my new toy planted himself in front of me, I took my time to admire the fear in his eyes. His entire body was trembling, and he was _sweating_. What could I say : I had my effect on people !

 **\- Okay, buddy. What's your pretty little name ?** , I asked him, wiggling my eyebrows.

 **\- P-Parker...** , he mumbled, stuttering.

 **\- Alright, _Parker_. ** , I squeezed his cheeks, widening my eyes as I compelled him once more. **Here's your new challenge of the year : you're going to refill my glass with some Bourbon, using your dismembered hand !** , I demanded, grinning widely as I spoke slowly for him to understand me fully.

 **\- How do I do that ?** , he replied, the fear gone and replaced with this unwilling urge to refill my glass.

 **\- You'll figure it out, _dumb one._ I'm not going to explain everything to you and make it simpler while it's supposed to be a _challenge_. ** , I rolled my eyes, watching as he went to pick up his hand on the floor.

 **\- Good one !** , Enzo laughed, finishing his drink as I nodded, winking.

Parker came back towards us, holding his bleeding hand in the only one he had left, before stepping behind the bar to take a bottle of Bourbon.

 **\- Ahh... ! Things are about to get interesting !** , I smirked maliciously, as Enzo rubbed his hand together, impatient.

Parker put the Bourbon on the bar table, picking up my glass and placing it next to the bottle. Then, he grabbed his dismembered left hand, holding the palm of it with his right one, and making the fingers close around the bottle. He dipped the tip of the bottle, and poured some Bourbon into my glass, before handing it to me with his other hand. Blood was leaking from the bottle of Bourbon and my glass, and Parker's right hand was covered with his own blood too. Just like I liked it.

 **\- Impressive, young man !** , I applauded, followed by Enzo.

 **\- You're very talented ! What should we call it, Parker ?** , he tapped his chin, thinking. **Oh, I know : ''the Hand _less_ me over Challenge''. **, Enzo clapped, and I laughed.

 **\- Hilarious !** , I commented, noticing Enzo's empty glass. **Hey Parker, a refill for my friend.** , I commanded. **Hand _less_ ly, of course. **, I added, winking as Enzo high fived me.

 **\- What are we gonna do about him, after ?** , Enzo questionned, watching as Parker did the same thing all over again, to pour him some Bourbon.

 **\- We have all day to think about it, don't worry.** , I stated, amused by the situation. **Just enjoy the service for now, Enzo.** , I advised him, patting his shoulder.

Enzo nodded, going back to drinking. We did that the rest of the afternoon, not caring about anything, or anyone. But I knew if someone found us, or trouble came to stop us, I wouldn't have a problem leaving Enzo to die alone, here. We were _pretending_ to be buddies, but thing is... : the Creature ate away our humanity, our capacity to feel _anything_. So, we didn't know what _friendship_ or _decency_ were. I'm sure Enzo would do the same. Nothing mattered more than our personnal _survival_ , and our _darkness_.

Let's say : Parker lost his touch, so he lost his life...

* * *

 ***** TO BE CONTINUED *****

 _Hey everyone ! Here's the 1st Chapter of my Bamon S8 Fanfiction ! I hope you liked it, don't forget to tell me what you think of it, your assumptions on what's gonna happen next and all..._

 _I specify that Bamon scenes are not coming right away, since I need to set up the background of the fanfiction. You need to bear in mind that I'm writing the WHOLE season 8, so everything will make sense and become more interesting in a few chapters. You need the context to understand though._

 _Hope you enjoyed reading it, and don't forget :_

 ** _REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS MUCH APPRECIATED !_**

 _PS : I'm going on vacation, so I'm not sure when I'll post Chapter 2. I'll write it while I'm away.  
_

 _KatemonLazuli_


	2. Answers and encounters

**Chapter 2 : Answers and encounters**

* * *

 **Bonnie's POV :**

Sitting on the edge of (my) Damon's bed, legs crossed at the ankles, I meticulously looked through the file we found in The Armory. There were a lot of pages, but I was willing to read them all in one night, if it meant I'd find something to help Damon and Enzo. So far, all I've read focused on _Darty Saint John's case_ : there was a very specific analysis on him, about what the Creature did to him, how he changed and all. But nothing on how to kill it, nor what it really was. But I still had 20 pages to read... However, what the file described and said about the Creature's effects on the person who was possessed, was _frightening_... It ate away your compassion, your capacity to feel, to love, and ripped any humanity away from you. Until all that was left was darkness, the desire to kill, and pure evilness.

 _God,_ what state would Damon and Enzo be in, once we found them ?! I _dreaded_ the moment I would face them both, afraid the people I once knew, who were the biggest part of my life right now, and the two most important people to me, would no longer exist. As if they were _dead_ and _burried_. A shiver ran down my skin at the thought, and I felt tears well up in my eyes. I was so tired of everything, but I had to be strong. Like I've always been _. Now_ was not the moment to give up and be swallowed by sadness.

So as Stefan entered the bedroom, I shook my head and wipped my eyes, erasing any trace of my miserable emotional state.

 **\- Hey, Bonnie. Am I disturbing ?** , he asked, always the polite one, as he stepped hesitantly in the bedroom.

 **\- No, not at all. I was going through the file, actually.** , I reassured him, offering him a tiny smile.

 **\- Oh. Did you find something ?** , my best friend's boyfriend wondered, furrowing his eyebrows as he did.

 **\- Not really.** , I sighed, standing up from the bed to walk towards him. **Nothing about the Creature itself. But many scary things on what it does to people.** I informed him, frowning.

 **\- I guess we'll _really_ have to go to extremes to bring them back, as they were before all of this happened, huh ?! ** , he shook his head, exhaling hardly.

I knew Stefan was tired too. Even though he hid it very well, maybe better than me, he was that kind of person you could read easily if you concentrated on his behavior. I understood him : after everything he's been through and faced with Damon, he was finally at peace with his brother, before something ripped him away from him all over again. On this point, we had many things in common. So I felt like I needed to give him some hope, because then, it would give me some too. If I made it believable for him, I could do the same for myself.

 **\- I still have the other half to read, though. I'm sure the answers are in those pages. We'll find a way, Stefan.** I squeezed his arm for comfort, catching his attention. **We always do.** , I added, just because it sounded good.

Stefan nodded, and ran a hand through his hair, as I let go of his arm. Not wanting to talk about this depressive situation anymore, he quickly changed the subject.

 **\- So, I came to tell you Ric called. He said they'll be there by noon, tomorrow.** , he told me, remembering the reason why he entered my bedroom in the first place.

 **\- Oh. He's coming here, to the Boarding House ?** , I questionned, surprised Ric agreed to bring the girls here.

He and Caroline were always strict about the twins not putting one foot in the crazy dangerous town that was Mystic Falls. Couldn't say I didn't understand them. One day, you were surrounded by the people you loved, and the next, they were all dead, and you were left alone. That's how it worked in our town : every single inhabitant of Mystic Falls had lost at least _one_ person they cared about, or knew. It was like a curse.

 **\- Um, _yeah_. Caroline was supposed to tell you, but she forgot.** , Stefan confirmed, seeming quite surprised himself. And bothered.

 **\- I don't blame her, with everything going on lately. Thanks for telling me.** , I thanked him, smiling as he nodded.

 **\- He told Caroline it was an exception, though. Only because we all live here now, so it's better for them if something happens while they're doing the spell.** , he explained, watching as I nodded, thinking about the consequences of their presence here, and what it meant for all of us. For _Stefan_.

 **\- Are you okay with that ?** , I asked, staring seriously at him, as he lifted an eyebrow in confusion. **I mean, Ric coming here, staying with us 'til the girls do the spell and all... after everything that happened between the both of you, and him and Caroline ?** , I specified, watching attentively as he thought of a satisfying answer.

I knew Caroline meant a lot to Stefan. It had been hard for him to see her with Ric, learn they were engaged and _happy_ with the girls , while he was _miserable_ without her and constantly running away from Crazy Rayna. I knew Ric accepted to let go of Caroline, since she obviously still loved Stefan and never really fell in love with him. But it didn't mean Ric was _completely_ healed, and okay with the situation. The three of them hanging out in the same place would be _very_ awkward. And _tense_.

And after our small conversation in the kitchen this morning, I really wanted to be there for Stefan, like I promised. I wanted to make sure he was okay. After all, he was still my friend, even if at some point we forgot to behave like ones. But above all, he was the only one able to understand me _fully_ , at the moment. Supporting each other was one way to give us some strength to face all the drama that was coming soon.

Stefan scratched his neck, thinking deeply as he frowned in this serious way of his, trying to find the right words to express his feelings. After some seconds of silence, he sighed before looking up at me :

 **\- Honestly : I don't even know.** , he shrugged, letting the hand he was rubbing his neck with, fall at his side. **I'm glad Ric agreed to help with the girls. I know it was a hard choice to make for him. It will always be.** , he paused briefly. **I mean, accepting to use your daughters and risk something happening to them for the sake of someone else, who abandoned you in his situation, is not an easy thing to do. I get that.** , he stopped again, frowning deeply as he tried to figure out his feelings, and I crossed my arms, waiting patiently. **But I'm also kind of... _wary_ . I don't think Ric can be over Caroline yet, and that's what bothers me. He might still have feelings for her, and I'm not comfortable with that. But at the same time, I feel guilty and sorry for him : he lost so many women that he loved already, and I'm the guy who destroyed his latest relationship. It's a rocky situation. I guess I'm... _confused._** _,_ Stefan confessed, sighing, as he stared at the ground.

 **\- So... You're not jealous ?** , I tilted my head to the side, teasing him with a smirk.

 ** _\- That_ no ! ** , he chuckled lowly, and I smiled. **One thing I know, is that Ric is respectful. He won't try anything.** , Stefan added, sounding confident.

 **\- He won't. Ric's a good man.** , I agreed, thinking about what he was willing to do to help us find Damon and Enzo, and what he accepted to do to save me from the curse, before all of that. **And Caroline loves _you_. ** , I reminded him, reassuring him with a wink.

 **\- Right.** , he nodded. **Thanks for that, Bonnie.** , he smiled sweetly, before making his way to the door.

 **\- Whenever you want, Stefan.** , I said, watching as he started leaving the bedroom.

 **\- No matter what happens, I'm sure you'll get your happy ending too, Bonnie. It's just a matter of time. Because _I'll_ make sure you find it, even if it means tracking Enzo and Damon down for _decades_. ** , Stefan suddenly told me, turning around so I could see he meant it and was sincere.

His words touched me to the soul. I needed someone to tell me everything was gonna be okay, and that _I'll_ be alright, eventually. He proved to be a great friend, I was thankful this situation brought us closer.

 **\- Thanks. You're a great friend, Stefan.** , I confessed, eyes full of gratitude.

He gave me a small smile and a nod, before informing me that he and Caroline would be watching a movie downstairs, if I needed anything.

After he left, I went back to searching information on the Creature, laying down on the bed. I spent half of the night studying the last pages, before finally falling asleep when I read them all and finished the entire file. I had some interesting things to reveal to everyone tomorrow, but for now, I needed some rest. I _had_ to believe things would only get better, if I wanted to make it out of that infuriating emotional battle.

* * *

 **Damon's POV : **

Me and Enzo were riding in the wonderful black mustang that we stole behind the bar's parking lot, enjoying the radio, as we thought about the next victims who will have the privilege to witness our impressive killer skills. And our delightful taste for anything bloody, creepy, and dark.

This lifestyle was nothing unfamiliar to me, since I kind of experienced it back in my _Bad Damon_ days ; compelling everyone I could to get what I wanted : sex, blood, money, a house, a minion...etc. The difference was, back then, I was _willing_ to be like this. It was a decision _I_ took, choosing to embrace my vampire nature. Nothing _forced_ me to do it, it was all voluntary. Which, in a way, made it even worse than my current state : because I _wanted_ to kill people, assumed it, while never turning my charming humanity off. I was conscious, and very much aware, of the pain I inflicted to people back then, and even _basked_ in it.

Yet, somehow, this Creature took that choice away from me. I was like a puppet to it, a toy _it_ loved playing with. And I _abhored_ that. No matter how much I _loved_ what the Creature made me do, how much I _enjoyed_ being the way I was now, this rebellious refusal of mine to be nobody's _jumping jack_ ,was slowy starting to come back to the surface. It was the _only_ feeling able to defeat the evilness and darkness the Creature had put me in, coming straight from the _old Damon_. The one I was before _it_ took possession of me.

I liked it, and feared it at the same time. Because it meant that this Creature couldn't _completely_ control me, and that _I_ still had a say in it. Even though it was probably _impossible_ for me to break that darkness , which covered the whole surface of my soul. But on the other hand, this _state_ the Creature put me in was so strong, and so _addictive_ , that I genuinely wanted to stay that way, and never go back to my old self. The darkness, the desire to kill, to hurt, the freedom and carelessness it brought to me, were extremely pleasant and dangerously attractive. It wasn't something me, and probably Enzo either, wanted to be saved from. It was like a powerful pull, and an irresistible call to darkness.

But as witches made sure of it, or whatever magnificent and powerful magical entity, _everything_ had an Achilles' heel. Nothing was _totally_ powerful or immortal : there was always a loophole, a defect. You just had to find it. Sometimes it was easy to find, sometimes you spent decades searching for that one loophole. But in the end, there _was_ a way to end it. That's what made the beauty of _Nature_. So, I guess the real question was : would _they_ find it ?

* * *

 **Caroline's POV : **

Alaric and the girls were arriving today.

I tried to make it sound like it was no big deal to me, but it _was_. Okay, so we did find an agreement about the girls, until we get Damon and Enzo back. I got to see them on weekends, meeting up in a town half way across Dallas and Mystic Falls, and Ric had them the rest of the week. But let's be realistic : I knew it wasn't a _permanent_ solution. Later rather than sooner, I hope, I'd have to make one big decision : the girls, or Stefan. I'd have to choose who was more important to me, between the three of them. I mean, Ric and I broke up, called our engagement off, and I was never in love with him. I was in love with the picture me, him, and the girls, conveyed as a happy family. But I didn't love him like I loved Stefan. Which led to our break up. Hence my dilemma.

The mother/daughter relationship I had built with the twins was very important to me, but above all, to _them_. Their biological mother was dead, and they considered me their mother. Even though they were still too young to know any of this yet. For them, I was their mother.

However, my relationship with Stefan was as important to me. But if I chose to live it completely with him, I had to let go of the girls. Yet, the twins needed a _constant_ in their life : a mother, and a father : two united parents. They deserved it. But I wasn't with Alaric, I was with _Stefan_ : in other words, I wouldn't be able to live under the same roof as them, all the time, like a normal family. Because there was no way me, Stefan, Alaric and the girls would live in the same house. It was just _not_ an option, and too complicated and sketchy for it to happen.

Which meant Alaric and I would have to explain to the girls we weren't together anymore, and that from now on, they wouldn't be able to see me as often as they did before. It'd be like a divorce. And I didn't want that for them.

On the other hand, I couldn't let Stefan down for a family I didn't ask for in the first place, and that he didn't plan on having either. I guess the girls would have to get used to him first, and hopefully get along with Stefan, and vice versa. Because there was no way I'd abandon any of them.

 _Ugh._ Why did everything have to be complicated in life ?!

Sighing, I went back to looking through the different sections of the supermarket, not really paying attention to what I picked up and put in my cart. I left the house early this morning, to do some grocery shopping before Ric arrived with the girls, for noon. They would need as much energy as possible to do the spell. _I hope everything's going to go as planned_ , I thought, while reaching for a bottle of red wine.

Suddenly, my cellphone pulled me out of my thoughts, as I heard it ringing in my jean pocket. I swiftly took it out, looking at the caller ID : it was Stefan. I pressed the talk button to answer it.

 **\- Hello ? Stefan ?** , I answered, holding the phone to my right ear.

 **\- Hey Care. Are you done at the supermarket ?** , my boyfriend asked, a urgent tone in his voice.

 **\- Almost. I just have to pay at the checkout.** , I told him, gripping the cart tighter. **Is something wrong ?** , I frowned, worried as I clenched the phone.

 **\- No, no. Everything's okay.** , Stefan reassured me immediately, when he picked up my worried voice. **I just called you because Bonnie found something about the Creature, and she wants you to get back as soon as possible, so she can tell us.** , he explained.

 **\- Oh. Great !** , I exclaimed, happy to hear some good news after those horrible last months. **I'll be there in five.** , I informed him, heading towards the checkout. Fortunately for me, there was only one person before me.

 **\- Okay. Be careful.** , he replied quickly.

 **\- I will.** , I rolled my eyes at his constantly worried ass. **Love ya.** , I added.

 **\- Love you too !** He returned, before hanging up.

* * *

 **Stefan's POV :**

 **\- So, here's the thing : while reading the file about** _ **Darty Saint John's case**_ **, I found something. A journal.** , Bonnie started, putting a small yellowed diary on the dinner table, as the three of us sat around it.

 **\- A journal ? From who ?** , I asked, curious to know what it contained.

Bonnie took a seat before answering me, next to Caroline and in front of me. She then focused her gaze on me, frowning a little as she said :

 **\- From a certain Ann Saint John.**

Lifting her eyebrows, Caroline took a sip from her tea with a questionning look, stopping me from speaking when she asked the same question I had in mind :

 **\- Who's that ?** , she tilted her head to the side, waiting for Bonnie to finish explaining.

 **\- Well, from what I've read in her journal, she was Darty Saint John's wife. Or, in other words, Alex and Virginia's great grandmother.** , Bonnie replied, watching as we both nodded, starting to understand what this lady might have written in her precious journal.

 **\- In the journal, she wrote about trying to save her husband, didn't she ?** , I guessed, my eyes scanning the small diary on the table with a lot more interest than the first time.

 **\- Yep.** , my girlfriend's best friend confirmed, giving me a nod. **She wrote a lot about what the Creature did to him, but that's not the most interesting part.** , she paused, taking the Journal to open it at a specific page. **Here. On _October 28th 1883_ , one year after Darty Saint John opened the vault and was possessed, Ann Saint John wrote about learning the true story of the Creature. **, she indicated, showing us the page and the date.

 **\- What does it say ?** , I pressed, too impatient to read myself.

 **\- It says Ann went to see a warlock, who told her all about the birth of the Creature. Its existence goes back up to ancient times : the fourteenth century, more precisely.** , Caroline whispered while reading the first lines, widening her eyes as she realized how old _it_ was.

 **\- Wait... The _fourteenth_ century ?! **, I exlaimed, not believing what I was hearing.

How was that possible ? This Creature wasn't a vampire : how could she live so long ? She was even older than The Originals ! It only meant one thing : _it_ was way stronger and more powerful than any supernatural in this world.

 **\- I know. I had to read the lines at least five times before believing it.** , Bonnie sighed, shaking her head. **Anyway, in this page, she mentions it was a witch who created the Creature : Jehan Ponester. She also says the warlock told her the longer the Creature stayed in a body, the darker the person became. And the more the person killed, the more the Creature became powerful.** , she revealed, closing the diary. **Ann also wrote a lot about how she tried to save Darty : she strongly believed the Creature only hid his humanity, and it was still there, inside of him. She thought the only thing able to free him, was to find the trigger of it.** , Bonnie finished, looking at us with a very serious face. She obviously thought Ann was wrong, judging by her doubtful expression.

 **\- You don't think it's that simple, huh ?** , I guessed, knowing she was probably right anyway.

Damon and Enzo were not on a killing spree, getting more and more evil each second of the day, because they switched off their humanity, like a vampire could do. They were this way, because a Creature _possessed_ them : something magical, something dark, something _ancient_. It couldn't be as easy as switching their humanity back on. I really thought the Creature did not only possess my brother. It changed him. He was probably burried deep down under the surface of all this evilness, somewhere I wasn't sure we would ever reach. For all I knew, the Damon I once considered my brother, who I faced so many things with, could be _defintely_ dead. But I would at least try to save him, because I knew he'd do the same for me. He already did many times. Our history would not end like this : back to old times, when I was the good one and he, the evil one. We managed to make it through more than once, this time wouldn't be an exception.

 **\- No, I don't.** , Bonnie blurted, giving me an apologetic look. **I think this Creature's evil, but above all, _magical_. And magic can only be defeated by magic. Which means if there's a way to kill that Creature, it's a magical one. ** , she explained, giving her point of view.

 **\- We could still try Ann's suggestion and see if it works ?** , Caroline intervened, not liking how negative the conversation was going.

 **\- Ann already did.** , Bonnie replied, focusing on Caroline. **And the last page of her journal talks about her plan to save Darty, which consisted in trying to awaken his feelings for her. I assume it didn't work and he probably killed her, since she never wrote again after that.** , she announced somberly.

 **\- How encouraging...** , my usually optimistic girlfriend mumbled.

 **\- However, I do think the Creature isn't able to _completlely_ swallow their humanity. No matter how powerful supernatural beings might be, magic always finds a loophole, something to make them vulnerable. Which means we have to find what it is. ** , Bonnie added, shifting on her chair.

 **\- For me, the only way to bring their humanity back to the surface, is to make them face what made them lose it in the first place.** , I stepped in, after thinking for a while.

Bonnie stared at me curiously, and interested. My girlfriend finished the last gulp of her tea, before turning her body towards me, waiting for my suggestion. I took a breath before explaining the idea I had in mind :

 **\- Damon was possessed by the Creature, and deprived of his humanity, because he thought he heard _Elena_ in the first place. And Enzo got trapped too, because he wanted to find Damon and get him out of that vault for _you_ , Bonnie. Which means you and Elena are the reason why they lost their humanity, to start with. No offense. **, I explained, watching as Bonnie frowned deeply, thinking about it.

 **\- None taken.** , she smiled briefly, but her face became serious again.

 **\- So... you're saying _Bonnie_ and _Elena_ are the keys to awaken their humanity, or whatever we need to do to save them ? ** , Caroline asked me, furrowing her eyebrows as she tried to understand the logic.

 **\- Exactly, Care. That's exactly what I'm saying.** , I nodded, waiting to hear their opinion.

 **\- I actually find it kind of logical.** , my girlfriend smiled at me, before looking at Bonnie.

 **\- I do too.** , Bonnie agreed, nodding at me. **The only problem is that we need to find a way to break Elena's curse, for it to happen. And once she's awake, I'll _die_. ** , she reminded us sadly, raising her eyebrows to make her point.

 **\- Then I guess all we have to do is kidnap Enzo and Damon first, lock them in the manor, and find a way to break that linking spell Kai cast on you and Elena.** , Caroline stood up energetically, taking her empty cup of tea to put it in the dishwasher.

Bonnie and I glanced at each other, smirking a little at her suddent outburst. That girl was really something. How could she actually believe we'll be able to break the curse, wake Elena up, and bring back Damon and Enzo ? How could someone be that optimistic ?

Feeling observed, Caroline turned around to give us a funny look.

 **\- What ? Being pessimistic and all depressive about the situation will get us nowhere. We'll find a way to do all of that, I really believe so.** , she exclaimed, sounding convinced, and sending us her _don't contradict me_ stare.

Bonnie shook her head but smiled a little. Caroline was the only one able to warm our hearts in our desperate and unstable emotional state, right now. But she was right : we had to believe in ourselves. We faced Katherine, The Originals, The Travelers, The Other Side going down, Silas, Kai, and The Heretics. We'll find a way to end it, like we always did. No matter how much time it took, we had to keep searching until we got our hands on the loophole that will allow us to put an end to this.

Hopefully, sooner rather than later.

* * *

 **Bonnie's POV : **

The information I found in Ann Saint John's diary were helpful, but not enough. So far, all we knew about the Creature was that it was born in the fourteenth century, thanks to some crazy witch who was probably dead by now, and that it was the most powerful supernatural _thing_ ever created. No hints on how to kill it, or how to save the people it possessed. Still, it was better than nothing at all. At least _now_ , we had an idea about how powerful it was, and what kind of thing we'd have to face. Though _it_ still didn't have a name.

I also called Virginia after sharing what I learnt with Stefan and Caroline, and she managed to give me some other information. Like the fact that her great grandfather, Darty, was stopped by someone who succeeded in locking the Creature back in The Armory. But no one knew who it was. And Darty had to be killed for it to happen. Which really didn't reassure me. I didn't want to admit it, but maybe Damon and Enzo had to die to be competely freed of the influence of the Creature. Something I refused to consider. I wouldn't let that magical thing win. Not after everything I had done to honor the spirit of magic, and satisfy my Ancestors. This time, they'd have to help _me_ , for once. Because if I didn't get Damon and Enzo back, I might _accidentally_ cause the destruction of the Earth, due to my growing depression.

Alaric's voice suddenly echoed donwstairs, pulling me out of my thoughts, and informing me of his arrival. Hopefully, he could help us figure this out.

* * *

After explaining everything we knew about the Creature to Alaric, we were all gathered in the living-room, the twins playing on the red carpet.

 **\- Wait... You said the Creature was created by a witch, in the fourteenth century, _right_ ? ** , Ric asked us again, frowning, as he remembered something.

His serious look caught my attention, as I nodded, licking my lips.

 **\- Yeah.** , I locked my eyes with him, hopeful. **Why ? Does it ring a bell ?**

Rubbing his hands on his face, Ric stood up, shaking his head, as he tried to remember some memory he obviously thought had somethig to do with this. He turned around to face me, Caroline and Stefan :

 **\- Actually, _yes._** , he answered my previous question, now having everyone's undivided attention. **When I was a studiant in occult science, we had a class about something very similar. If I remember well, we studied a text in latin, from 1306.** , he paused, going back into his oldest memories to remember everything. **It talked about a witch, who was very thirsty for power, and created something very evil, which destroyed hundreds of villages, back then. No one really searched for more, because everyone thought it was just another legend of the 14** **th** **century. But I remember my professor being very serious about it.** , he finished, staring at us.

 **\- You don't remember the name of said witch ?** , Caroline tried, hoping they could finally collect some of their ideas and information together.

 **\- No.** , Ric shook his head negatively, but he sent me a determined look. **But I do remember the name of my professor. _Mr. Thompson_. I know he's still alive, since he was only twenty something then. I'll find his number and ask him about it. I think he might be able to give us some answers. ** , he suggested immediately, sounding very confident.

 **\- You do that. _Now_. ** , I ordered, not wanting to waste a second. **Please.** , I added, noticing Ric's funny look, at my sudden attitude.

To be honest, I really didn't give a damn about being polite or not, right now. Ric had just opened a possible lead for us, and we needed to act very rapidly. If that Mr. Thompson knew something about that Creature or that witch, we had to question him as soon as possible. Time was precious in Damon and Enzo's situation. Besides, I felt like I hadn't been myself in quite a long time since they both disappeared. More ordering, focused and serious. I guess it was the consequence of losing the two most important people in my life, and them not being by my side to help me with life in general. Their absence did a number on me. Though I still managed to do better than Elena, when she lost Damon and decided drugging herself was the best way to cope, I thought. God. I missed her too. What would she think if we weren't able to save the man she loved ?

Ric simply gave me a nod, not even angry with the tone I took when I adressed him, probably understanding my weird behavior.

 **\- Yeah, good idea.** , Stefan stepped in, giving me an encouraging smile, letting me know he was also starting to finally see the light after our long period of complete darkness. **While you're giving your former professor a call, Bonnie, Caroline and I will take care of the girls. They're going to do the spell, and Bonnie's going to guide them through it all.** , he informed Ric, without forgetting to mention I'd be with them all the way. **Unless you want to stay with them.** Stefan quickly added, noticing Ric didn't really appreciate the way he was kind of _imposing_ his idea.

Tension filled the room for some silent seconds, before Caroline gave Ric a small reassuring smile.

 **\- We'll call you if anything happens. But Bonnie will make sure nothing does.** , she stated, glancing at me for support.

 **\- Yeah. What kind of aunt would I be if I let anything happen to my nieces ?** , I joked, smiling at Ric, hoping it was enough.

 **\- Okay.** , he sighed. **I'll be in the kitchen.** , he informed us, before disappearing in the hallway.

Now let's do that damn locator spell, so we can save the best friend I haven't had the chance to forgive completely yet. And my boyfriend.

* * *

 **Stefan's POV :**

 _Why the hell did they have to go all the way to Denver ?!_

I swear once my brother was saved, and himself again, he would pay the fact I had to ride with my girlfriend, and my girlfriend's _ex boyfriend_ ; who also happened to be his best friend by the way; in the same car. _Damon's Camaro_ , to be more precise. I burnt my car while running away from Rayna Cruz, remember ?

Caroline was trying to make the tension less noticeable, but the silence in the car after she mentionned how proud and cute the twins were when they found their _Uncle Damon_ , was the perfect example of her failure. She was seated in the passenger seat, next to me, while Bonnie and Ric were at the back. Sometimes, I could feel Ric's small glares on me as I stroke my girlfriend's hand, and her bothered expression when he did so annoyed me. I also noticed the few longing glances he sent her way, which did nothing to calm me. I knew he wasn't over Caroline yet, it was normal, but I couldn't help my reaction. It annoyed me. Though he wasn't trying anything, Ric made it clear he still loved Caroline, and he seemed to want me to notice it. Maybe he wanted to provoke me. But I was smarter than that : he was still hurting from Caroline's choice, even though he was the one telling her to get back with me because it was so obvious she was still in love with me. With time, he'd get over it.

Anyways, the mood in general in the car, wasn't so _thrilling._ Caroline seemed anxious about the situation (me and Ric spending time together after what happened between us, plus meeting the new Damon and Enzo), Ric was determined not to speak a word to anyone throughout the whole roadtrip, and Bonnie constantly nibbled on her lips, or scratched her hands : a sign she was frightened about her future encounter with Damon and Enzo. She was probably wondering how her boyfriend would react : if he was going to jump at her throat and try to kill her, or kiss the hell out of her when he'd notice who she was. And how her best friend would behave too : remember everything they had been through ; including her saving him from 1994 and him doing everything to save her from the Killer Pills and Huntress' Curse ; or seeing her as nothing but walking food. No matter what, it was going to be a very important moment for her. Because one thing we knew for sure, was that the Creature didn't erase Damon and Enzo's memories. Which meant they remembered perfectly each one of us, and who we were to them. Somehow, it made this future family meeting look very depressive, and even more somber.

Because deep down, we all knew what they had become : monsters.

 **\- So, hum... I called my professor.** , Ric suddenly spoke up, clearing his throat to break the uncomfortable silence.

His sentence seemed to wake eveyone up, and stir us out of our daydream and dark thoughts, as we all listened to him carefully.

 **\- What did he say ?** , Bonnie urged him, pulling her gaze away from the landscape she was admiring a few minutes ago, escaping from the depth of her deep reflexion.

 **\- He actually knew a lot about that legend.** , Ric started, looking at Bonnie, then at me and Caroline. **According to him, the legend says in 1306, a very powerful and evil vampire killed a whole bloodline of witches, in one single night, killing every member of each generation until there was no one left.** , he paused, licking his lips, after noticing the dumbfounded look on everyone's faces.

 **\- In _one_ night ?! ** , Caroline exclaimed, mouth hanging open out of shock.

Yeah, I wondered how he did that. It reminded me of Damon's obsession about The Augustine. How ironical.

 **\- How did he manage to do that ?** , Bonnie frowned, trying to imagine how the vampire could be that powerful, and fast.

 **\- I have no idea, that's what the legend says.** , Ric shrugged, and Bonnie nodded. **Anyway, he killed everyone, except one of them. The last one of the bloodline, who was 21 years old then. Her parents hid her in a magical place, which made it impossible for the vampire to see her, hear her, or smell her. According to the legend, once the young woman got out and saw the massacre, her grief and anger were so profound and intense she lost her mind, and decided to avenge her whole bloodline. Her desire of vengeance made her completely crazy, and took complete control of her. As a result, she became so powerful she found the vampire muderer, and cast a spell which increased his humanity to the point his guilt and regret drowned him in such a mirserable and torturing state, his existence became unbearable. However, it didn't satisfy the witch like she hoped it would, so she went even further. The 21 year-old created a magical Creature, which fed from the vampire's soul, and forced him to kill every single person he loved, appreciated, or even came close to care about. It killed him. The only thing is, she planned on killing that Creature after that, but it got so powerful and strong that she realized what she had created became invincible. Once she realized the big mistake she had done, it was too late and the Creature disappeared, killing thousands of people, and massacring hundreds of villages on her path.** , he stopped again, giving the others some time to process everything he was saying, before continuing. **Desperate, the young witch begged the help of another Coven, and they found the Creature one year after. It took the death of half the Coven to be able to _neutralize_ the Creature long enough, so they could lock it up in a safe place, protected by a strong spell which made it impossible for the Creature to get out. If we believe what the legend says, the witch was punished very _severely_ by the Spirits, since they considered what she created and provoked was close enough to the _Apocalypse_ : they decided to take her powers, and turned her into a vampire herself. Since then, no one heard about her ever again. ** , he finally finished.

Silence followed. It was quite a legend ! A witch, who was supposed to serve Nature and Life, was the one who created the most powerful and evil supernatural being. I didn't know if it was good news, or bad ones.

Bonnie was the first one to speak :

 **\- Wait... If they turned the witch into a vampire as a punishment, it means she's still alive, right ?** , she questionned, hope flooding her eyes, as she realized they might have a chance to learn more about that Creature, and how to kill it.

 **\- If nothing happened to her until now, then yes.** , I confirmed, my eyes not leaving the road.

 **\- I guess we could ask Matt to find out where she lives nowadays. Being a former Sheriff, I suppose he still has access to every files he needs.** , Caroline stated, shrugging. We could here her optimism in the tone of her voice.

 **\- Good idea.** , Bonnie agreed, managing a small smile to her best friend.

 **\- Let's just hope she doesn't live on another continent...** , Ric added, earning a glare from Bonnie.

Caroline also sent him a look. Now was not the moment to crush Bonnie's hope about saving her best friend and boyriend. She was already on the edge for months now, no need to make things worse and end every single drop of hope that fell down on her. She wasn't stupid : she knew it wasn't a solution yet. But it was still something. Besides, _I_ wanted to believe we'd find this witch, and demand her some answers.

 **\- I'll give him a phone call, as soon as we... finish our little expedition.** , Caroline tried to smile, suddenly realizing how dangerous and nerve-wracking our first meeting with possessed Enzo and Damon was going to be.

I took a glance at Bonnie in the rear-view mirror, and noticed her eyes got darker the minute my girlfriend mentioned our future meeting with Damon and Enzo. She swallowed what seemed to be a lump in her throat, and focused back on the landscape she was staring at before, not saying a single word during the rest of the trip.

In this moment, I knew I _had_ to bring them back. Not only for me, but for Bonnie. Because I made a promise to be a better friend to her, and I intended to keep it.

* * *

 **Damon's POV :**

Denver was our new destination.

We decided this town had something special, as well as its inhabitants. There were a lot of abandoned warehouses, in which we could easily hide our fellow victims. And a lot of crowded bars, where we could find said victims. Everything was there to satisfy our cold hearts.

Currently, I was reading a newspaper, outside of a fancy french restaurant. The fact mine and Enzo's little _masterstrokes_ were on the front cover, being the only reason I was bothering reading it in the first place. What can I say ? I'm a proud, narcissistic man. That's no news to anyone. Except it might have been amplified now. I loved reading all those speculations about who that insatiable and horrible murderer might be, in the articles. People went completely crazy about it, wondering if they were going to be the next victims. Some of them didn't know how _right_ they were to be afraid.

A cheshire cat grin formed on my lips, as I spotted some police officers patrolling around. How ironical and comical would it be if my next victims were the ones who are trying to find out who's behind these murders ?! I loved cynicism.

Suddenly, the ringtone of my cellphone pulled me out of my fantasies. Looking at the caller ID, I rolled my eyes in annoyance. That man could never live one minute on his own.

 **- _What_ , Enzo ?! **, I groaned, dropping the newspaper on the table. **I thought we agreed to seperate ways for some days. Not that I don't like your company, fellow friend, but I like some loneliness sometimes. Otherwise, I might end up killing you out of annoyance.** , I pressed, sipping on my Bourbon.

Old habits were the only things I kept from _old Damon._ I guess the proverb was true after all : _old habits never die._

 **\- Likewise, old pal. Which is why I'm not calling out of pure will.** , Enzo replied, and I snorted.

 **\- What is it ? Some victim of ours escaped death and told her mommy we were bad kids ?** , I smirked, winking at a blond chick who kept staring at me. Found my next dinner.

 **\- Try a Blue Camaro, hero hair as the driver, cute Barbie vampire girlfriend next to him, feisty Bennett witch and shithead father in the back.** , Enzo revealed, instantly catching my undivided attention as the smirk on my face evaporated.

 **\- Where ?** , I froze, feeling insecure for the first time. But I didn't know why.

 **\- I just spotted them entering the town. They know where we are, Damon. What do you suggest ?** , he asked hurriedly.

Obviously. He was never the smart one coming up with amazing plans to save our asses. Fortunately for him, I liked his sense of humor and killing together was quite funny. But that was that.

 **\- I suggest we let them find us.** , I paused. **And then show them how much we've missed them by ripping their hearts out, and dismembering them.** , I added, that evil smik of mine making its way on my face once more.

 **\- I like the sound of that.** , Enzo agreed, and I could practically see his dark rictus. The one he wore when we were about to do a massacre. **Meet me at the warehouse we chose.** , he said.

 **\- We won't need to go there. I have the perfect place to meet with our dear little happy family. With a welcome gift.** , I stopped him just before he hung up, a humanityless grin appearing on my face, as I observed each customer of the restaurant enjoying their peaceful lives, with a deadly and somber look.

Might as well enjoy your _Blanquette de Veau_ , dear ones. Don't know what's on the menu in Hell.

* * *

 **Bonnie's POV :**

 **\- We're almost here. The warehouse the locator spell indicated is not far.** , Stefan announced, as the skyscrapers of Denver appeared through the window, while we drove.

I could tell we were midtown, where all the activities took place. There were a lot of people, parks, restaurants, bars, banks...etc. The perfect place for two blood-thirsty monsters, like Damon and Enzo had become. This thought caused me to shudder.

I knew I was about to see them again after months, but most importantly, after the Creature changed them. I didn't know what to expect, in all honesty. Would they remember me, and what I meant to them before all of this happened ? Were they still the same person as before, or did the Creature also changed their personnality ? Would I be strong enough to handle seeing them in that state? So many questions, so many worries, so many fears. And yet no answers or ways to calm them down.

I was in a weird emotional state : nervous, frightened, anxious, curious... and weirdly, _relieved._ Relieved, because even though the moment I would put my eyes on them, after everything that happened, would certainly be the hardest one in my life, I'll be able to fulfill what I've dreamt of since they disappeared : seeing them again. I knew it sounded twisted, but it was the truth. I've been missing them so much since the moment they entered that damn vault, that the only thing I've wanted since then, is to see them again. Dark or not, evil or good. I just needed my eyes to land on their silhouettes again.

What was strange was that, out of the two, the one I wanted and _needed_ to see the most, was _Damon_. Don't get me wrong, I missed Enzo too, of course. A lot. But Damon... I don't know. It was the fact that at least Enzo knew I loved him, because I told him right before he was possessed, but Damon _didn't_. He didn't know I loved him so much it was the reason why his abandon hurt me like hell. He didn't know the moment I told him _« You're kind of forgiven. »_ , it meant he was _completely_ forgiven. He didn't know everything he did to save me meant the world to me, touched my soul, and made me feel like I was _worth it._ Worth saving, and worth loving. By him. Other than Elena, or his brother. He didn't know his actions made me realize how much he had changed, in the good way. He didn't know I was _proud_ of him. Damon entered that vault because of me, because he wanted to save _me_ and make up for how bad he had hurt me. He wanted to show me he _regretted,_ show me he _did_ love me. Only then had I understood. He had risked his life for me, knowing the Creature was still inside.

Damon Salvatore entered that vault thinking I hated him the most, and I never got the chance to tell him it was the total opposite. Because when he got out of it : he wasn't Damon Salvatore anymore.

 **\- Wait, Stefan !** , Ric suddenly shouted, making me jump as I focused back on my surroundings.

I noticed we had turned into another street.

 **\- What ?** , he frowned, obviously surprised at Ric's sudden outburt.

 **\- Look at your right.** , Ric simply said, as Stefan's confused eyes left the road to see what Ric was talking about.

Obviously, Caroline and I did the same.

At first, nothing seemed wrong to me. And I could tell Stefan and Caroline thought the same, judging by the frown on their faces. The street was rather calm, nothing particular caught our attention, as we all looked through the window.

 **\- What's wrong ? I see nothing alarming.** , Caroline spoke up, frowning as she turned to face Alaric.

 **\- We've just entered _midtown_. Don't you think it's a little too _quiet_ compared to the streets we've just passed ? ** , he stated, lifting his eyebrows as if it was clearly noticeable.

And then it hit me. Just seconds ago, we were driving through one of the biggest streets of Denver : there were the horns of the taxis, people talking, crowded restaurants, cars passing by,...etc. The usual noise you could find in a big city like this. Then, we turned into another street, which shouldn't have changed a lot since it was still midtown : the surrounding streets of big areas like the one we crossed usually kept being very active.

However, as I took a closer look to the street we were slowly driving through, I noticed something weird. There was no activity. No people walking by, no cars driving around, no noise... and a very suspicious empty restaurant. It wasn't normal, this street should be like the other ones we've crossed : full of life and mobility. But it was empty, silent, uncommon.

And as my mind wrapped around that idea, I could practically _feel_ and _smell_ death all around...

 **\- Do you smell that ?** , Caroline sniffed, furrowing her eyebrows, as she glanced at Stefan.

 **\- Yeah, I do.** , Stefan nodded, after concentrating on his vampire smelling skills.

 **\- Smell _what_ ?! ** , I urged, getting irritated.

 **- _Blood_. ** , my best friend looked seriously at me, fear of what that meant filling her eyes.

Damon and Enzo weren't at the warehouse. There were _here._

And my statement was proven right, once I noticed the broken glass, laying on one of the outside tables of the french restaurant. My eyes followed the drops that fell out of it on the floor, leading towards the entrance of the restaurant, and settled on the blood stained window. It was far, and could've looked like a decoration or a simple tinted window, but when I put two and two together, there was no doubt : Damon and Enzo were in that restaurant. I couldn't even imagine what was waiting for us inside.

 **\- Pull out, Stefan. I think they're in the french restaurant.** , I ordered with an impassive tone. Better not get sentimental and emotional now.

Stefan parked the car on the sidewalk, and we climbed out of it. No one said anything, but as we walked towards the restaurant, Caroline grabbed Stefan's hand for support, and Ric squeezed my shoulder. Whatever was in there, we knew it was Damon and Enzo's doing. And _that_ was going to be the hardest part.

* * *

The first thing our eyes met when we stepped into the restaurant, was a head hanging on the big crystal-made chandelier of the luxurious building, a blood pool underneath it, spelling :

 _WELCOME !_ =)

I took my eyes away from the poor man's head, who still had his eyes wide open in fear, and brought a hand to my mouth to keep from throwing up. The scent of blood and death was _overwhelming_ , and I felt like playing the role of the innocent woman discovering the massacre in a horror movie. Except it wasn't a movie, it was _reality_. My boyfriend and my best friend had done this.

Tears filled my eyes, as my heart broke into a million of pieces. It was just the beginning, and I was already on the verge of breaking down. How could I handle this ?

 **\- Bonnie, I think it's best if you stay in the car and wait for us.** , Stefan suggested, struggling with his feelings too, once he noticed the look on my face.

I knew he was only trying to protect me, keeping me from any emotional pain or shock, but I needed to see this. I needed to see them, _face_ them. I just had to do this, it was something I couldn't explain. Damon and Enzo never gave up on me when I became the Huntress, even though I literally tried to kill them. So I wouldn't give up on them either, and put my feelings and emotions aside.

 **\- No, Stefan. I'm fine. I have to do this.** , I refused, swallowing down my tears and forcing myself not to be touched by any of this.

 **\- You sure ? I know this is hard for you, Bon. And I know you're strong, but this isn't like anything we've experienced before. We've reached a level that is...** , Caroline insisted, unable to finish her sentence because there were no words to describe the scene before our eyes.

 **\- I can handle it.** , I stopped her, sounding confident. And I was. I had found the ulterior motive that would help me face all of this : their salvation. **They never abandoned me when Rayna so nicely gave me her curse, so I won't either. I'm here for them. I need to get them back, and do this by myself.** , I added, so no one could doubt anymore.

Stefan nodded, as Caroline sighed and gave me a hug. Ric offered me a small encouraging smile, but I was able to catch the look of despair and hesitation in his eyes. He wasn't sure we could bring them back at all. They seemed far gone.

* * *

Looking attentively for any sign of Damon and Enzo, eyes wide open and our hearing at its maximum, we walked through the many rooms of the restaurant, witnessing the massacre that Damon and Enzo had done, especially for us. We bypassed dozens of dead bodies : men, women, _children_ ; and each scene was scarier than the previous one. There were corpses spread everywhere : on the floor, the tables, the chairs, hanging in the air, dismembered hands, legs, arms, heads... It was like walking through a nightmare, or behind the scenes of a very realistic horror movie. Pools of blood tinted the carpet everywhere , drops of blood fell on top of our shoulders when we stepped through a door frame, and our nostrils were drowned in the scent of death, agony, and blood. It was a real carnage. A butchery. A slaughterhouse. It was _unbearable_. My nerves were battling inside of me, not to let go and break down right now. But we kept moving, because we had to stop them.

Tilting her head to the side, as we entered what seemed to be the waiting room of the restaurant, Caroline frowned and turned towards us :

 **\- I hear noise, not far from here.** , she whispered, moving a strand of her blond hair, behind her ear.

 **\- Me too.** , Stefan nodded, after concentrating on his vampire hearing ability. **We're going to see where that comes from. Ric, can you stay here with Bonnie, since you got weapons ?** , he then faced Alaric, raising his eyebrows in that serious way.

 **\- Of course.** , Ric nodded. **Be careful. If we hear anything that sounds bad, we're coming to your rescue.** , he added, alternating his gaze between Caroline and Stefan, to show he was worried.

They both nodded, before speeding away to where the noise came from.

Suddenly feeling more vulnerable than ever, since I was now powerless and 100% human and _helpless_ , I looked towards Alaric and extended my hand in front of his chest. He sent me a confused look.

 **\- Bennett witch out of magic fuel.** , I joked, trying to lighten the mood and think about something else than the fear that was starting to overwhelm me, as well as the horrible scenes before our eyes. **I could use a weapon, in case I need to save your ass.** , I clarified, a small smirk making its way on my face for a brief moment, as Ric shook his head.

 **\- Like that's ever gonna happen.** , he joked back, understanding I needed to take my mind out of the context, right now. **I may be on _Hunter retirement_ , doesn't mean I've lost my touch. **, Ric winked, handing me a gun with wooden bullets, and a vervained stake.

We didn't even know if wooden bullets would work on them anymore. They were still vampires, but did the usual vervain, wooden bullets and stakes, still have an effect on them now ?

Out of nowhere, Ric and I suddenly felt something pass behind us, like a draft. No doubt it was a vampire. And no doubt it was Damon or Enzo, since Stefan and Caroline were in the next room. It made me shiver, and my hand tightened around the stake Ric gave me.

Then, the noise of something breaking caught our attention, as we glanced at each other. Right when we raised our heads, to see where it was coming from, a speeding silhouette appeared and headed towards the room Stefan and Caroline were in.

Not hearing a single thing coming from them, Ric got worried and frowned :

 **\- Stay here. I think they might need some help. I'll be back in five seconds.** , he informed me, and I nodded.

Weirdly, the fear I felt minutes ago was completely gone. I wasn't scared anymore. I was curious, and impatient. It was now or never.

Out of instinct, my feet took me to the kitchen of the restaurant, which was situated behind the adjacent door. I pushed the doorknob and entered slowly, the stake hidden in the sleeve of my sweater, and the gun in my right hand. Surprisingly, there were no dead bodies, nor blood, nor dismembered _whatever_ in the kitchen.

It was all clean, and the ustensils were left at the same place they were , before our _dynamic duo_ decided to slaughter everyone. I noticed a cake ready to be pulled out in the oven, small pieces of cucumber on a cutting board, beautiful decorated plates waiting to be served, and my eyes finally settled on a cooking pot boiling with water. Instinctively, I turned the burner off.

That's when _his_ voice rang behind me.

 **\- Hungry,** _ **Bon Bon**_ **?** , I could feel the evil smirk in his voice, but I wasn't ready to see it yet.

When I turned around, he vanished in the cellar. And I followed him.

* * *

 **Caroline's POV :**

 **\- WHERE. IS. MY. BROTHER ?!** , Stefan roared like a beast, vampire face on, and he honestly scared me.

I had never seen him this angry. So... _beastly._ Even though I knew he was the Ripper once upon a time, I never really got to see his dark side. Now, I knew Damon being in danger could be a trigger to it.

The noise I heard some minutes ago, was none other than Enzo. Bonnie's boyfriend. The one that had once came close to being my friend, beat Stefan up because he made me _cry_. The Enzo that once hit on me, and had fallen in love with my best friend over those past three years.

And I didn't recognize one _ounce_ of him.

Taking him by surprise, Stefan had managed to pin him against a wall, hands ready to snap his neck, and fangs coming out the minute he recognized him. He acted out of rage, but I knew deep down, he resented Enzo for not being man enough to go himself into that vault, and save the love of his life by his own. He resented Enzo, because it was kind of his fault, if Damon had been trapped there in the first place. Because _he had done what Enzo couldn't,_ as Damon told his brother over the phone. For Bonnie.

 **\- I don't think you can consider him your brother anymore, Stefan.** , Enzo replied with a smirk, chuckling as his eyes filled with complete emptiness.

 **\- I don't know what that _thing_ did to you, but I swear I'll find a way to end it. ** , my boyfriend growled, fangs retracted but the veins around his eyes still showing.

 **\- Ah, Stefan.** , Enzo laughed once more, evilly. **Always the Knight in Shining Armor.** , his eyes opened wildly, almost as if he was trying to compel him. **I wish you luck, because you have no idea _what_ you're dealing with. **

Tightening his hold around Enzo's neck, Stefan was about to answer, but Ric entered the room and distracted us :

 **\- Everything's okay, there ?! I thought I heard something.** , he walked towards me, before noticing Stefan... and Enzo.

 **\- Hey there, _shithead_ ! ** , Enzo greeted him with his vampire face, blood dripping everywhere around his mouth. Probably from the dead bodies he was drinking from before we arrived.

Ric glared at him, but he couldn't seem to take his eyes off him. I understood why : it was intriguing ; looking at someone you _knew_ , yet not knowing who this person was anymore.

Remembering Bonnie was supposed to stay with him, my brain went suddenly on high alert.

 **\- Wait, _Ric_ ! Where's Bonnie ?! ** , I stepped in front of him, turning my back to Stefan and Enzo.

 **\- I left her in the other room to check on you. It's okay, nobody was here, and she has weapons.** , Ric finally took his eyes away from Enzo, to look at me.

 **\- Ric, Ric, Ric.** , Enzo repeated, lifting his eyebrows. **I guess that Hunter retirement _did_ make you lose your touch, after all. ** , he said sarcastically. **Because we got you _right_ where we wanted. ** , he finished, smirking.

My eyes went wide in fear, as I realized what he meant. He had done everything on purpose : provoking Stefan, making it seem like we were taking him by surprise, and luring Ric here. So Bonnie was left alone. _With Damon_.

 **\- BONNIE !** , I screamed, using my vampire speed, and rushing to the waiting room she was supposed to be in.

 **\- Now, let's get to real business. I'm tired of our little conversation.** , I heard Enzo's dark voice echoe in my vampiric ears, followed by the sound of someone being smashed down.

But I didn't have time to worry about Stefan or Alaric, because when I finally reached the waiting room : Bonnie was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

 **Bonnie's POV : **

It was dark, inside of the cellar. But once my eyes adapted to the darkness, I was able to spot several sections, each one containing different sorts of food. That was where the restaurant kept its stocks. No bodies here either, so far.

I walked on a straight line, until I reached what seemed to be the switch of the light. Once I turned it on, Damon's familiar voice echoed in my ears, more distant than ever.

 **\- How's my _bestie_ doing ? ** , he singsang, and I closed my eyes to keep the memories from flooding my mind. Now was not the moment.

Gathering up all the courage I had in me, I finally decided to turn around, and face him. Face what the Creature had made him become.

What hit me first, was that he looked _exactly_ like my best friend, sounded _exactly_ like my best friend, and smirked _exactly_ like my best friend...yet _wasn't_ my best friend.

I took a closer look at his outfit : same old leather jacket, grey T-shirt, and blue jeans. And _expensive_ Italian shoes, just like the rest. On this point, he was still _Damon_. Same blue eyes, thin lips, large and strong hands, muscular chest. If I didn't know any better, I'd have the impression to be facing my normal best friend. Except I wasn't. I was facing what the Creature and the darkness it had put inside of him, turned him into.

Noticing the way I was observing him, Damon smirked even more, and slowly stepped closer to me.

 **\- Bonnie Bennett, tongue tied.** , he lifted his eyebrows, and I almost thought it was the normal Damon talking to me. **Interesting. Is it the sexiness ?** , Damon winked, and stopped two meters away from me.

The Creature hadn't changed his personnality. Or not completely, at least. Another disturbing thing, which did nothing to help me. He _looked_ , _smelled_ , _sounded_ and _acted_ so familiar to me, it was hard to remember he wasn't the Damon I knew anymore.

I stayed silent again.

 **\- Or is it the fact every ounce of humanity, that was _once_ inside of me, is gone now ? Which means I could kill you any second, and not give a single damn about it. ** , he reiterated, using his vampire speed to scare me, but stopping two steps before reaching me.

 _Oh, no._ , I thought. _I'm not about to give up on you from the first time I face crazy, evil, dark, humanityless, monster you._

Taking a deep breath, because what he said still hurt like hell (remember only months ago he practically moved heaven and earth to save my life and earn my forgiveness ?), I locked my eyes with his, and covered the centimeters missing, for us to stand face to face. Raising my head in a challenging manner, fire dancing in my green irises, I whispered :

 **\- I'm not afraid of you, Damon.**

He tilted his head to the side, quite surprised and curious about my feisty behavior. Now that I could fully stare in his familiar blue orbs, I noticed the emptiness, the nothingness, and the evilness in them. It was like staring at the Devil himself. Any trace of the old Damon was gone, leaving nothing but darkness and a strong desire to kill.

We were so close to each other, our noses were touching, and I could feel his breath on my lips, as he smirked that inhumane way :

 **\- You should.** , he simply stated, keeping his gaze locked with mine.

 **\- No matter how strong that darkness might be inside of you, I promise I'll bring you back, Damon. I'll dig and dig and dig, until I reach your soul. And I won't give up until I bring it back to the surface.** , I confessed, eyes wide in determination, and the tone of my voice filled with so much confidence I almost surprised myself.

I could tell I surprised him too. My words caught him off guard.

It was only for a brief _millisecond_ , but I managed to catch the small flash of _feelings_ which crossed his evil azure eyes. A proof his soul was _indeed_ still inside of him. Only hidden and controlled by the Creature. There was hope.

But as soon as it came, it disappeared. And I was left again with the somber version of my best friend. He took a step back, taking in my small yet dangerous stature, and winked :

 **\- Good luck with that.**

Next thing I knew, Damon vamp sped towards me and slammed my head against an iron-made shelf. I felt my body fall on the cold floor, blood dripping from my head and landing on my shoulder. Damon's impenetrable eyes and gloomy smile were the last thing I saw and heard, before everything went black.

* * *

 ******* **TO BE CONTINUED *****

 _Hey there ! I know. I'm SO sorry for taking so much time to post Chapter 2, but between vacation, work and life in general, I haven't been able to find a lot of time to write. So, please forgive me.  
_

 _Anyways, it really didn't go the way I planned, but I'm glad. I particularly focused on the Bamon 1st meeting moment, so I hope you enjoyed it. I tried my best for it to be kind of epic, but again, I'm not the most talented writer out here when it comes to Bamon. ;)_

 _Tell me what you thought of the chapter, your reactions as you read, what do you except to happen next, and really anything you want. I'll be happy to read it !_

 **REVIEWS MUCH APPRECIATED AS ALWAYS !  
**

 _Kisses, and thank you for those who read and comment,_

 _KatemonLazuli_


	3. Broken souls

**Chapter 3 : Broken souls**

* * *

 **Bonnie's POV :**

The coldness of the floor woke me up. It mugged my sore muscles, awakening the pain in my shoulders, neck, and head. At first I tried to open my eyes, but I was feeling too dizzy , even though I was still laying on the ground. So I waited some seconds, until the dizziness disappeared, before forcing my eyes open once more.

My green orbs met the same surroundings I was in before Damon hit my head : the cellar of the restaurant. Except Damon wasn't there anymore : he had left. I felt a pang in my heart, remembering the darkness in his eyes and the way he carelessly threw my head against the iron-made shelf. Groaning in pain, I moved my fingers to see if they were still working, and used both of my hands to push myself up. Once I was on my knees, I felt a smooth liquid running down my neck, coming straight from my head. I brought a hand to my skull, and found the dripping wound : it was _blood_. Cursing, I kept my hand on it, to keep it from leaking any more.

Just as I was about to stretch and get up, a voice stopped me from doing so.

 **\- Bonnie Bennett. Mmmm.** , _she_ hummed, and I froze, not recognizing who the voice belonged to. I didn't know this woman.

Panicking a little, but remaining calm, I tried to make out where that voice was coming from, planting my eyes everywhere in the room. But I saw no one.

 **\- I have to admit it's quite impressive to meet you. The last Bennett witch.** , _she_ continued, and I frowned. Who the hell was she ?! Why couldn't I see her ?!

 **\- Who are you ? And where are you ?** , I asked, getting annoyed, and ignoring her comment on my status. Which wasn't up to date, judging by what she said.

I hated feeling threatened and observed, without being able to see who I may have to fight.

 **\- I can't really answer your first question. Let's say I'm quite.. _.ancient_. ** , the voice answered with an amused tone. **As for the second one : I'm everywhere.** , she mused, and I tightened the grip on my head.

The woman sounded...off. _Inhumane_. Evil. Like she could tear my soul apart in the blink of an eye, without me even realizing it. To say I was scared would be an understatement. Saying I was hiding that fact was more accurate.

As if it wasn't scary enough already, the light suddenly went off. The cellar became as dark as it was when I entered it in the first place. Thing is : I was right next to the interruptor of the light, and no one had pressed it to turn it off. Which means that woman was _magical_. Maybe not a witch, but a supernatural. For sure.

My breath quickened at the realization. I didn't forget the fact I was completely human and vulnerable now, so she could kill me in a second. I didn't have my powers to fight back anymore. That thought kept me from replying with an attitude : I was frightened, but she made me want to shut her smart mouth, thinking she was superior to me. That's what she conveyed, at least : a powerful, vain, haughty bitch. It rubbed me the wrong way.

I tried to force my eyes wide opened to see through the darkness of the room, but I couldn't make out anything. Not even the furnitures.

And then I felt _it_.

Long, rough, inhumane fingers, grabbing my shoulder. I stopped breathing, fear taking control as I did my best not to scream or move an inch. The hand stayed there for only a second, before moving up to grip my head, and I bit my lower lip to keep from screaming. I dropped my own hand on the ground, unwillingly. The woman made me do it, forced me to take it away without even whispering anything. And then I felt something powerful envelop my body, similar to what I felt when my magic came out of me and circled me, ready to be latched out. Except it didn't feel right, nor as good as what my magic felt like when I used it : it felt wrong, dark, bad, consuming. Much like Black Magic. Expression. But it wasn't exactly the same : I could tell it was even more powerful than that. Even more dangerous.

I wanted to snatch the hand away, run to the door and get the fuck out of here, but I couldn't move one muscle. My legs weren't working, nor my arms, nor my hands : it was like my members weren't listening to my brain, but to that woman. I felt numb.

And then I heard her whisper :

 **\- You're way more than you think, Bonnie. Your quest's only a way to lead you right where I want you. Save them if you can, and see what happens.** , she murmured. **It was nice meeting you.** , she finished, before the presence faded away, the light turning back on, and I no longer felt the hand on my head.

Nor did I feel the pain and the wound anymore. The woman had _healed_ me.

I tried to catch my breath, only remembering how to breath once I opened my mouth and the fear was completely gone, while a single thought came to my mind :

 _WHAT THE FUCK ?!_

Just as I asked myself that question, standing up without any effort and processing everything that just happened, Caroline burst in the cellar, running towards me once she spotted me.

 **\- OH MY GOD ! BONNIE !** , she hugged me, crashing my bones, as I wrapped my arms around her to hug her back. She brought me some comfort and warmth, after this curious and frightening moment. **Thank god you're not hurt !** , my best friend added, after pulling away, and checking my body for any suspicious wound.

I noticed the tears in her eyes, and decided to reassure her some more. Because, well...it was _Caroline_ : she wouldn't stop worrying until I told her not to.

 **\- I'm fine.** , I whispered, before swallowing a little. **I think.** , I added quietly, but I knew her vampire hearing caught my whisper.

 **\- I was so scared.** , my best friend sighed heavily, grabbing my hand for more comfort she really was a worried mess. **Stefan and I found Enzo in the other room. Stefan managed to attack him by surprise. Well...that's what we thought. But then Alaric showed up, without you. And Enzo hinted at everyone being right where _they_ wanted us to. And I knew something was wrong with you. I did as fast as I could, Bon. ** , Caroline explained, frowning all the while.

 **\- You saw Enzo ?** , I whispered, eyes widening and voice soft.

I only had the privelege to face my best friend, but not my boyfriend. Somehow it frustrated me : they were both in this restaurant, yet faith decided I couldn't see them both, though I _needed_ to. Why _Damon_ ? That was another question I wasn't ready to have the answer to. Grams used to say everything happened for a reason, even more so for a witch : destiny didn't do things by accident, but because it was meant to happen.

Caroline nodded, eyes softening too as she read my expression and her baby blue eyes met my desperate face. She knew it was hard for me.

 **\- You were with Damon, weren't you ?** , she questioned knowingly, raising her eyebrows as she waited for my reply.

I could tell she was curious, but also trying to avoid the subject of Dark Enzo. She didn't want to upset me by describing how Enzo was now, and I was thankful for that. I already faced enough with Damon and that strange woman.

 **\- Yeah.** , I confirmed, nodding. **But he's not the only one I met.** , I continued, staring gravely at my blond best friend.

 **\- Who else did you meet ?** , Caroline frowned even more, tilting her head to the side : a sign of curiosity and anxiety.

Looking away from her for a moment, I took a deep breath, hands trembling a little before meeting her serious gaze again. I couldn't believe the words that were about to leave my mouth :

 **\- I think I met the Creature.**

* * *

 **Damon's POV :**

Something happened, back at the restaurant. Something scary. Something weird. Something that could compromise my current state. And I didn't want that, neither did the Creature. I could _feel_ it. Being as dark as I was, _nothing_ was supposed to be strong enough to jeopardize the evilness inside of me. I was soul _less_ , I _couldn't_ feel. It was impossible for me not to kill. It was _unnatural_ for me to spare someone's life, now.

Yet, I did.

I spared _Bonnie Bennett's_ life. The first one, since I became what I am now. The first defect, since the Creature took hold of me. It was the Creature's first _failure_ , I could feel it. It was weird, but though I was physically free, able to do whatever the hell I wanted, it wasn't _completely_ the case. I had this mysterious _connection_ with the Creature : I felt what it felt, its emotions, its moods. And it could feel mine.

I still didn't understand _why_ and _how_ I decided not to kill _her_. I didn't care about her. I didn't care about anyone but myself. I was made of darkness and evilness, the Devil in person : my capacity to love, to feel, my compassion, my humanity and my soul didn't exist anymore. They had been eaten away by the Creature, which fed from them.

The moment I heard them enter the restaurant, my mind was focused on one thing : leading them to us, dismembering them, watching them _hurt_ and _die_ in pure agony, until their last breath. And then feeding from them. Well, mostly from the two humans present at the time : Alaric and Bonnie. I planned on burning Stefan and Caroline, and hanging some of their body pieces in my car, as decoration. But it didn't turn out like I planned to.

When I heard _her_ voice in the waiting room of the restaurant, talking with Alaric, I just had to have her. And by having her, I mean _I_ had to be the one ending her life, the one _torturing_ her and _killing_ her. Me, and only _me_. Not Enzo. I felt this strange pull of _possessiveness_ towards Bonnie. The one serial killers or crazy psychopaths had with their victims : it was that twisted link between a murderer and the innocent person he targeted. It was unexplainable.

From this moment, my mind only focused on Bonnie. The sound of her breathing, the tone of her voice, her smell... I couldn't wait to taste her blood, watch her suffer. She brought such an intense passion and desire when I was around her. I didn't want anyone bothering me/us while I enjoyed our moment together, before ripping her heart out : so I asked Enzo to lure everyone else in another room, while I would get Bonnie to follow me to the cellar. I didn't know why I was doing this, but I couldn't resist the call.

Everything went wrong when I met her green eyes. The words she pronounced stirred that thing inside of me, that I didn't even know still existed, and made me vulnerable for a millisecond.

 _« I'm not afraid of you, Damon._

 _No matter how strong that darkness might be inside of you, I promise I'll bring you back, Damon. I'll dig and dig and dig, until I reach your soul._

 _And I won't give up until I bring it back to the surface. »_

It was like something awakened inside of me, the minute Bonnie's mouth opened to talk. I felt like a battle was happening right inside of me, inside of my conscience, fighting the urge to open itself again. My inner self was on fire, in the middle of a war.

Her words echoed in the depth of my being, and I couldn't stop it from ricocheting in my heart.

For a brief moment, the dark surface of my evilness broke a little, and I _felt_. I felt pride, and fear. And then it was gone before I could actually realize I felt something in the first place.

I knew Bonnie saw it. And I knew I couldn't let that happen again, so I _shut_ my conscience. It was like giving it a final blow, so it could stay burried deep under the surface of my darkness. The one the Creature controlled. And I became myself again : the Devil.

My eyes darkened, twinkling with the excitement of taking a life, _her_ life. I could feel my gums opening to let my fangs appear, and the veins around my eyes starting to show ready to jump at her throat. And right when I was about to let it all consume me, let the darkness, the evilness and the need to kill envelop me and take over, I couldn't.

I couldn't kill _her_. I couldn't take _Bonnie's_ life.

My mind wanted to, but my body wouldn't move. It was holding me back, stopping me from hurting that pretty little body of hers. It was like my body was sending me a message : _You can't kill her. Don't. Fight. You're stronger._

Except it wasn't my body : it was my soul.

Bonnie Bennett awakened my soul. It was the first time something like this happened to me. It was the first time my soul showed itself. Since the beginning, nothing was strong enough to allow my soul to come back to the surface, even for a millisecond. But _she_ did.

And that's when I knew I had to get away, save myself from this dangerous enchantress. For the first time, the desire to run away was stronger than the desire to kill. Because it was the first time my darkness was threatened, and my darkness was the most important thing to me right now. So I knocked her out, still not able to end her life, and fled.

It wasn't noticeable on the outside, because I wore that evil smirk and dangerous aura, but my inner self was being _tortured._ And worried. I had to find a way to resist, stay away from her.

Bonnie Bennett was dangerous, because as much as I hated to admit it or even acknowledge that fact, she could be the one ending my fun.

And I didn't want that. Nor did the Creature. Even if I had to face my soul in person, I would kill it and make sure it would never come back. I'd make sure nothing and no one would be able to save me. This moment of weakness and shock, was the _first_ and the _last_ one I would ever witness.

The Devil wouldn't be turned into an Angel.

* * *

 **Stefan's POV : **

We were back at the Boarding House. Without them. Without _him._

Our plan was a total failure. We didn't imagine it would be this hard to fight them. Let alone _face_ them.

Our encounter with Dark Enzo and Damon was a disaster. Bonnie had seen Damon, described to me how evil, dark and inhumane he looked like. How distant he sounded, the tone of his voice as cold as an iceberg. Which was quite a good image, by the way : Damon and Enzo were like an iceberg now. The part they showed to us was that darkness the Creature put into them, but it wasn't just it. Everybody knows an iceberg always has a submerged part : the one the Creature is hiding in Damon and Enzo. Their _soul_.

When Bonnie told me all about her moment with Damon in the cellar of the restaurant, I really did lose hope. Because, even though I said to Bonnie that I had already seen and fought Dark Damon, this situation was nothing like the previous one. Damon wasn't controlled by a magical powerful Creature, back when he arrived in Mystic Falls. And he still had his humanity. However, _this_ Damon is under the spell of something we know _nothing_ about, and he's not the one in control anymore. He doesn't have a say in what he's like. Which means we wouldn't be able to bring him back, until we kill that Creature or negotiate something with her. And little do I know, negotiating with Evilness always equals to sacrifice.

But I didn't tell Bonnie that. Of course not. I know she's a strong woman, and she's smart enough to already have figured this out, but I didn't have the heart to break hers even more. Meeting Damon affected her immensely, and from what we told her about Evil Enzo she can tell he's pretty much the same. In other words, today was the first time she faced the reality of Damon and Enzo's state, and realized they really had disappeared. I guess it equals to losing her family all over again, and I can only imagine how alone she might feel, no matter Caroline and I's presence by her side.

 **\- Do you need more ? Do you feel better ?** , Caroline's sweet voice suddenly echoed in my ears, pulling me out of my thoughts in a gentle way.

Oh. Right. Guess I forgot to mention the part about Enzo almost beheading me. And I mean, _literally._

 _*** Flashback ***_

 _The second Caroline left to check on Bonnie in the restaurant after Enzo's words, the bastard jumped on me and I was smashed hardly on the cold floor. I was able to fight him off me and sped to the other side of the room, breaking a chair to make a stake. Just when I turned around, ready to throw it right in his heart, he was nowhere to be seen. Ric tightened his grip on the gun he was holding, and sent me a surprised look. I thought Enzo had fled, after seeing Ric and I were fully armed. But I was wrong. Just as Ric and I started to make our way out, planning on findng Caroline and Bonnie, Enzo suddenly appeared behind us. Ric didn't have the time to realize what happened, before Enzo planted a stake in his stomach, letting him fall unconscious on the ground. And I didn't have time to process either, completely taken by surprise and worried at the sight of a mortally bleeding Alaric, as Enzo threw me against a wall. Knocked out, I tried to stand up and attack him, but he was faster. Much faster : I guess the Creature did not only eat their soul. Next thing I knew, his right arm encircled my head, immobilizing it, and the sound of an electric saw made me froze. I couldn't do anything, except yelling in pure agony, as Enzo starting choping my head off with the saw. Fortunately for me, Bonnie and Caroline arrived just in time to avoid the massacre._

 _Seeing what Enzo was about to do to me seemed to paralyze Bonnie. She stared at Enzo, wide-eyed, powerless, and tense. It was like she couldn't move, couldn't do anything but stare at him, in that unbelieving way ._

 _My girlfriend put on her vampire face and literally growled, before speeding towards us, pushing me aside so I fell on the floor, and thrusting the saw in Enzo's ribs. Crying out in pain, the possessed vampire took a few steps back. He took the saw out of his ribs, smirking, before fixing Bonnie :_

 _ **\- I'll see you soon, love. Watch out.** , Enzo mused, speeding towards the nearest window, and jumping from it._

 _Nobody expected him to run away. But I guess seeing we outnumbered him did it for Enzo. And also the fact Damon wasn't there to help him if needed. He was evil, dark, powerful, but not foolish._

 _Blinking, Bonnie came out of her fit of terror, and rushed to Ric's side. She screamed at Caroline to give him some blood, which she did immediately. While Caroline healed Ric, Bonnie directed her gaze on me, noticing the critical state I was in : Enzo had choped off half of my head, which meant my neck was half open, and blood was leaking like a freaking waterfall. She ran to me, bending down, before bringing her wrist to my mouth._

 _ **\- No, Bonnie.** , I choked, struggling to talk since half of my throat was sliced._

 _ **\- Don't be ridiculous, Stefan. Ric's weak right now, and you need human blood or you won't heal.** , Bonnie firmly stated, raising an eyebrow when she saw I didn't react. **Drink.** , she insisted again, forcing her wrist against my lips. _

_Knowing she was right, I transformed, planting my fangs into her wrist and drinking greedily, as I felt her blood healing my throat, my neck, and putting my head back in its normal state._

 _ **\- Thank you.** , I pulled her wrist away when I was done, looking at her in a graceful way._

 _ **\- You're my friend, Stefan. Of course.** , she smiled, helping me get up. _

_We left as fast as we could._

 _*** End of Flashback ***_

Bonnie's blood wasn't enough to give me all my strength back, though. Caroline drove all the way back to Mystic Falls, and I settled on the couch of the Boarding House the minute we arrived, drinking a dozen of blood bags to feel better.

 **\- Much better. Don't worry.** , I nodded, reassuring her as she sat beside me.

 **\- I'm worried about Bonnie.** , she sighed, playing with a strand of her blond hair.

 **\- She's strong. She'll get through it, we'll make sure of it. She just needs time to accept everything.** , I replied, knowing Caroline was talking about how Bonnie was dealing with meeting Dark Damon and Enzo.

 **\- I know she will. But I hate seeing her hurt.** , my girlfriend sighed again, laying her head against my shoulder. **Are _you_ okay ? ** , she asked after some seconds of silence.

She knew that not being able to bring my brother back to the manor today, even though it was only to kidnap him and he wasn't saved yet, did something to me. It was a failure, on my promise to keep him safe.

 **\- Of course not.** , I admitted, wanting to be honest with her. **I'm afraid this is way worse than what we thought.** , I frowned, rubbing my forehead as I thought about my brother.

 **\- Yeah...** , she agreed. **I'm gonna call Matt. See if he can try to find where the former witch who created the Creature lives.** , she suggested, moving a little so she could face me.

 **\- That would be great. Though I doubt Matt wants to have anything to do with this, and with us anymore.** , I raised an eyebrow, watching as my girlfriend shrugged.

 **\- Can't say for sure til' we try.** , she paused, standing up. **I'll put Bonnie on speaker, it might help him decide. I'm sure doing this for Bonnie will be a good reason enough. Plus it's not that big of a service.** , Caroline said and I nodded, following her silhouette as she left the room.

* * *

While Caroline was on the phone with Matt, Bonnie by her side to convince him to help us, I decided to write a little in Elena's journal, in my bedroom.

I missed her so much. Her absence was almost as unbearable as it was for Damon. Except Elena and I weren't so dependent of each other, which made it a little less tormenting and obsessive. That's what made the difference in our former relationship : we managed to keep being _ourselves_ , while being together. Couldn't say it was the case for her and Damon : but again, it wasn't my decision to make. They wanted to change to be able to love each other, and that was their problem.

But I admitted it bothered me, because the Elena she was with Damon, wasn't the Elena I met. It was kind of disturbing, but I would always love and protect her, no matter what. I just knew that deep down, the real Elena Gilbert was still there. She only forgot about it along the way, when she threw herself in a relationship with my brother. Anyways, writing to her was a way to feel close to her again, feel like she was still here with me. I needed that.

 _Dear Elena,_

 _You won't like those lines. I know I promised you that I would keep an eye on Damon, save him if needed, and protect him at all cost, like he would do for me. But I failed. Caroline already told you all about it in the previous page._

 _After a while, we managed to find him and Enzo : in Denver. Except we didn't think facing them, and fighting them, would be that hard. Enzo almost beheaded me, but I didn't get to meet my dear brother. Bonnie did. Needless to say it was intense. She didn't recognize her best friend, the one who did everything to save her. And from what she's told me, neither did I recognize my brother._

 _In all honesty, I don't think you would recognize Damon either. I'm not even sure you would still have hope for him anymore. Bonnie said darkness and evilness were ruling him now, and we could read it in his eyes. There's nothing human, or good, left in him anymore. This is way more complicated than what we thought. We learnt some things about the Creature, but not enough to know how to kill it or free Damon and Enzo from its influence._

 _Anyways, I won't give up on trying to bring him back, you can be certain of that. Let's say this little encounter with Damon and Enzo made me lose hope a little. That's why I miss you so much, right this moment. You've always been the one bringing me hope, telling me everything would be okay eventually, and that I was strong enough to face any battle. I need that, right now. I need you. Your words always manage to comfort me, and it's no surprise you've always meant everything to me._

 _Caroline is doing a great job at keeping everyone motivated, and sane. She trully is our light these days. Bonnie and I got a little closer, we picked up where we left off so many years ago : we promised to be good friends to each other. Something I haven't done for a while concerning Bonnie, and I kind of regret that. But everything's fine between us now, and I genuinely want us to be friends. I'm sure you're thrilled at the idea. I remember how much you wanted me and Bonnie to get along when we first met... I miss old times, sometimes. We might have a slight idea on what we're going to do next, but I don't wanna tell you yet. Some details are still missing._

 _Can't wait til' you wake up and I see you again,_

 _Stefan._

 **\- Stefan !** , Ric's alarming voice made me jerk my head up, as I closed Elena's Journal and raised my eyes to look at him.

 **\- Yeah ?** , I asked, frowning worriedly when I saw Ric's serious face.

 **\- We have a problem.** , he revealed, breathing deeply.

 **\- What is it ?** , I pressed, dropping the pen I was holding and standing up to walk towards him.

Ric looked around the room, agitated, before focusing his serious gaze on me.

 **\- My former professor, , is dead.** , he blurted out, eyes wide.

 **\- I'm sorry for him, really. But I can't see what's the problem -** , I started, but Ric cut me off before I could finish my sentence.

 **\- I wasn't done.** , he interrupted, raising his hand in front of me to stop me from talking.

I kept myself from rolling my eyes at his tone and his manners, still a bit angry with him about his attitude towards me and Caroline, and raised an eyebrow instead.

 **\- He's been dead for _five_ years. Cancer was the cause of his death. ** , he added and my forehead wrinkled even more as the realization hit me.

 **\- But you called him to ask about the Creature this morning...** , I stated, fixing him in pure confusion, as he nodded.

 **\- I thought I did. Except it wasn't the real .** , Ric started to explain, and I waited for him to finish. **I was able to find his number, but I didn't check to see if it was still the same person. I was so happy to get some information on the Creature, that I wasn't careful enough to mind 's weird behavior.** , he continued, watching as I listened carefully.

 **\- What gave it away ?** , I questionned, wanting to know the end of it , as my brain worked hard to find the usurper.

 **\- The real would have _never_ given me those information out of pure will. He wasn't one to share his theories and knowledge like that, if there wasn't something interesting for him in exchange. I remember that much about him. He was kind of touchy on subjects like legends. ** , Ric paused a little, frowning. **So, I started having a doubt on the way back to Mystic Falls, it just hit me like that. I checked on the internet, to see where he lived now : and that's when I found out he died five years ago. I dialed the number once again, to see if the person who pretended to be would answer me again, but the phone wasn't attributed anymore. I was unable to find out who that person was.** , Ric finished.

Nodding, I tried to process what this meant. The person who answered the phone and pretended to be , obviously knew about the Creature, and about us trying to find information on it. Damon and Enzo were too busy being evil and possessed to pretend to be someone. Plus, if they wanted to sabotage our plan to bring them back, they wouldn't act like that : it would be way more violent than giving false information on the Creature and taking someone else's identity. The members of The Armory were all dead, along with Alex, and Virginia wanted to get rid of the Creature too. She didn't want us to open the vault in the first place. It couldn't be her. And no one else knew about the Creature, Damon and Enzo, except Matt and Tyler. But they obviously wouldn't stop us from saving them, since they're a danger for everyone. And they even tried to help us find them.

There was only one possibility left : it was the Creature itself.

 **\- You think it was the Creature ?** , I asked for personnal confirmation.

 **\- Yes. I can't see any other possibility. Except if we have more ennemies than we think right now.** , Ric agreed, raising an eyebrow.

 **- _Shit_. This can't be good. ** , I sighed, rubbing my neck.

If the Creature lured us into thinking was the one on the phone, giving us false information about her, it means she's aware we're trying to find a way to kill her/it/him. In other words, we are discovered. And therefore, we just became targets. We were in serious danger.

 **\- I think we should tell the others. Things just got extremely complicated and dangerous.** , Ric stated, frowning deeply.

 **\- Yeah, you're right.** , I agreed, nodding. **Can you call the girls, and reunite them in the living-room ? I'll meet you in a second.** , I told him, moving to grab my phone.

 **\- What are you going to do ?** , Ric questionned, his eyes fixing the phone in my hand in a curious way.

 **\- Just need to make a phone call to an old friend.** , I replied, not wanting to say more.

Nodding in comprehension, Ric looked at me one last time, and left the room. Once I was sure he was gone searching for Caroline and Bonnie, I pressed the button to call the only person who would be able to protect us effectively in this situation. The one I already called several times, more than I'd like to admit. I hated being dependent of his power and his strength, but I didn't have a choice.

 **\- Hello, old friend. What owes me the pleasure, this time ?** , his british accent echoed in my ears, as he answered the phone.

* * *

 **Caroline's POV :**

After talking to Stefan, I decided to search for Bonnie, so we could call Matt together.

I found her walking in the giant _« garden »_ of the Salvatore House, if you could call it that. It was more like a property. From where I was standing, I could already see she was trying to think about something else than our beautiful failure to bring back Damon and Enzo here, this morning. I knew it was a tough time for her. Bonnie had been facing a lot of hardships since The Armory wanted her : Damon's dessication, the pills, Rayna, the Curse, Alex, the vault, the Creature...and Damon and Enzo's _transformation._

Life was not being kind towards her, and I was fed up with my best friend hurting every second of the day. Without even one year of break. I didn't like the situation, and I didn't like Bonnie's state right now. I only wanted her to be happy for once, I only asked for life to give her some breathing room. Honestly, she was quite the Survivor. Katherine Pierce was dethroned, on this point. I guess the legend about Bennetts being the most powerful witches ever wasn't made up by someone : Bonnie was _unique_. It would take a lot to break Bonnie Bennett.

Seeing Bonnie sitting on a bench nearby, I walked towards her.

Spotting me, my best friend offered me a small smile, and pated the spot next to her, indicating for me to sit. A sign she needed to talk.

 **\- Hey Care ! Does Stefan feel better ?** , Bonnie asked me, moving a little so she could face me.

 **\- He does. Your blood helped a great deal, thanks.** , I smiled back, really appreciative of what she had done for my boyfriend.

 **\- No problem.** , she waved it off.

Nodding, I looked away, and my eyes noticed the book she was holding in her left hand. Clutched agains her chest. Raising my eyebrows in a curious and interesting manner, I looked back at her :

 **\- What's that ?** , I pointed to the book, intrigued.

Following my finger, Bonnie's green eyes settled on the book, and she took it away from her chest a little. I noticed her eyes filled with doubt and insecurity, curious feelings for a simple book. That's when I noticed the title on the front cover. It read : _The Call of the Wild._ The cover looked very old, but also very familiar to me.

 **\- It's Damon's favourite book.** , Bonnie started, before sighing. **Containing the letter he wrote to me before his dessication, which I never opened.** , she added, locking her eyes with mine.

Couldn't say I was shocked. It didn't surprise me. I noticed Bonnie seemed way more affected by Damon's state, than Enzo's. I wasn't sure, but I was starting to think this difficult situation was stirring some denied feelings into Bonnie's heart.

 **\- Are you... considering to open it, and read it ?** , I questionned, watching as Bonnie unconciously held the book tighter in her hands.

I knew Damon's letter was important to Bonnie, even though she screamed how much she hated it, and found it lame and stupid, every chance she got. Curiosity got the best of her, and it was only normal she wanted to know what was in it. I could tell the hesitation was torturing her.

Biting her lips, my best friend shook her head, breaking eye contact for a few seconds, before focusing her stare back on me :

 **\- I don't even know why I keep it...** , she admitted, shrugging helplessly. **I think... I don't know. It's just that...** , she paused, trying to find her words before continuing. **I never really got closure with Damon. About his decision to dessicate and abandon me, I mean.** , she clarified, and I nodded in understanding. **His letter might give me some answers, now that he's not able to do it himself, and that's also a way to keep him close to me.** , Bonnie added, frowning a little at her last words. She didn't seem to know where those were coming from.

 **\- That's why it's torturing you. His decision hurt you a lot, and you need to know his reasons.** , Bonnie nodded in agreement. **It's normal, Bon. Damon's been ripped away from you before you even had the chance to fully forgive him, or have a conversation about his dessication.** , I explained, trying to make sense.

 **- _That_ , and the fact the state Damon's in now, is my fault. He went into the vault to save _me_ , and it costed him his soul. **, Bonnie said, swallowing hard. **I can't let that go...** , she whispered.

 **\- You're tormented because you feel like you _owe_ Damon. That's why his absence is affecting you a little bit more than Enzo's. ** , I blurted out, unable to stop myself.

Surprised, Bonnie looked at me wide-eyed. But she didn't deny my words. She knew it was the case. She missed Enzo, but it wasn't like Damon. The state of Damon and Bonnie's relationship before he was taken by the Creature, wasn't the same as Bonnie and Enzo's. Bonnie had unresolved feelings, pieces of resentment, and unanswered questions when it came to Damon. Which made his absence and disappearence more violent, more intense. Obviously, it could also mean something else, but I didn't think she was ready to broach that subject yet. It might be too soon, even though I already figured out her love for Enzo might not be as strong as her love for Damon.

 **\- I seem like a horrible girlfriend, when you put it like that, Care.** , she smiled a little, joking, and I was thankful for it. **But you're kind of right... though I don't understand why.** , she frowned deeply.

 **\- There's nothing wrong about it, Bon. You miss Enzo a lot too, everybody knows it. But at least, Enzo knew you loved him, and you knew he loved you. It isn't the same with Damon. You didn't get to forgive him fully, your relationship with him has been put on _« suspension mode »_ by this Creature. It's frustrating, I get it. ** , I told her, squeezing her shoulders as she layed her head on mine.

 **\- You take the words out of my mouth, Care.** , Bonnie chuckled softly. **Thanks for understanding me so well, and putting words on what I can't express. I love you.** , she said, putting her hand on mine.

 **\- That's my job as your best friend, Bonnie. I love you too. And know I'll always be there for you.** , I returned, squeezing her hand.

* * *

After some minutes, I decided to tell her why I went to see her in the first place.

 **\- So... I decided to call Matt. I thought you might want to join the conversation ? He might be more receptive to the idea of helping us, if you're talking to him too.** , I informed her, watching as she removed herself from my shoulder, and straightened up.

 **\- Go ahead.** , she replied, gesturing for me to take my phone out.

I put it out of my jean pocket, and dialed Matt's number. Holding the phone between us, I put us on speaker, so Bonnie would be able to hear him, and vice versa.

 **\- Hello ?** , Matt answered after three rings, and we were both shocked he even did.

 **\- Matt ? It's Caroline.** , I informed him, not sure he kept our numbers once he left Mystic Falls.

 **\- And Bonnie.** , Bonnie added, sending me a look. We hoped it would awaken his interest.

 **\- Why are you calling ?** , he sighed, obviously not thrilled to talk to us.

 **\- I know you kind of cut ties with us, but we need a small service. _Please_. ** , I started, waiting for his reaction, as Bonnie focused on the phone. I wasn't expecting him to jump in pure joy, of course.

 **\- No.** , he firmly refused, not even hesitating one second. **I told you I 'd help you one last time by trying to track Enzo and Damon before leaving, but that was it. I've moved on, and I don't wanna be a part of this mess once again.** , he kind of spat to us. **So whatever it is you need me to do, the answer is no.** , Matt repeated, making himself clear.

Sighing, I rubbed my forehead and glanced at Bonnie. Nodding in comprehension, she took the phone from my hand.

 **\- Matt, trust me when I say I couldn't understand you any more.** , Bonnie started, trying to find the right words. **You're talking to a girl who just lost her boyfriend and her best friend, along with her powers, in one single night. With no assurance whatsoever to bring them back to the way they were before. All because of that Creature.** , she continued, and I heard Matt sigh.

 **\- I know, Bon. And I'm trully sorry. I can't imagine how difficult it is for you right now, but I just can't.** , he explained, feeling genuinely sorry and touched by Bonnie's situation. **It won't bring anything good to me, if I let the supernatural issues back in my life again.** , he added in a desperate tone.

 **\- I understand, and I'm not asking you to sacrifice what you've built since you left Mystic Falls, Matt.** , Bonnie tried again, focusing on what she was saying and trying to take into account how Matt was feeling about all of this. **But you're our only chance. We finally have important information on the Creature. Turns out a witch created it back in ancient times. And this witch was turned into a vampire as a punishment, which means she might still be alive. We only need you to find out where she lives, and that's it. Nothing more. Don't tell me it's too much to handle for you.** , she pressed, getting kind of irritated. **I know bad things happened to you lately, Matt. And I'm not taking them for granted, because I know how much tragedy this world can bring to us. Just look at my current situation : the two most important people in my life have been ripped away from me violently.** , she half-laughed darkly. **But this small service isn't life-threatening, Matt. And we need it. _I_ need it. You've helped me fight Rayna's curse, you've been there for me when no one else could, because I could kill them for it. As a friend, Matt, I'm asking you to be there for me one last time. _Please_. ** , she finished, and I heard Matt's breathing deepening, meaning he was thinking about it. Bonnie's words were sincere and he was touched.

 **\- If you still care about us, Matt, _please_ do it. ** , I almost begged, hoping my words would drive him to the edge and make him accept.

The line was silent for a minute, before we heard Matt's soft voice again.

 **\- Fine.** , he half-groaned, half-sighed. **But this is the last time I'm doing you a favor, so use it wisely. I'll see what I can do.** , he gave in, and we grinned.

 **\- Thanks, Matt.** , I smiled widely.

 **\- It really means a lot.** , Bonnie added.

 **\- What's her name ?** , Matt asked us, ignoring our thankful words. He was still a bit angry.

 **\- Jehan Ponester. But we don't know if she kept her real name.** , I informed him, frowning.

 **\- Alright. I'll call you back as soon as I found something.** , he told us, hanging up before we could thank him.

Handing me my phone back, Bonnie bit her lips.

 **\- Well : that went well.** , she smiked in amusement.

 **\- Tell me about it.** , I shook my head, a little disappointed by Matt's behavior.

Just as we were about to walk back to the Boarding House, Ric came running towards us. He wore a very serious face, the one we didn't like at all. He also seemed quite in a rush.

 **\- You're here !** , he stated, breathing heavily. **We have an emergency. Stefan wants us all in the living-room, I'll explain while walking.** , he informed us, gesturing for us to follow him. **Come on !** , he urged us, as Bonnie and I glanced at each other nervously. It couldn't be good.

 **\- I don't like this at all.** , Bonnie frowned, worried, and I agreed.

* * *

 **Stefan's POV : **

**\- Why would I want to help you with your problems, Stefan ? I have things way more important to deal with. I don't have time with your family problems, old friend.** , Klaus spat in annoyance and anger. **I thought last time was that : the _last_ one. I already did you a huge favor by saving you from The Huntress. ** , he paused. **I'll give you some serious advice : you shouldn't abuse my _limited_ goodness. It might cost you your life. ** , the british original vampire threatened me, but it didn't scare me at all.

Because I knew what would make him reconsider his answer. I knew Klaus well enough, to know that his family was his weakness, since Hayley gave birth to Hope. He would do anything for them, to protect them. Maybe that was the only good thing left in him. His love and devotion for his family. So he couldn't refuse to help me, once I revealed to him what happened to Damon and Enzo.

 **\- No need to be so passionate and agressive, Klaus.** , I replied, showing him his threats weren't affecting me. I heard him grunt. He was always so bestial and impulsive. **Thing is, _my_ problems can become _your_ problems too, very soon. ** , I deadpanned.

 **\- What do you mean, Salvatore ?** Klaus growled, saying my name like it was an insult. Saying he was pissed would be an understatement. But it usually didn't take a lot to piss Klaus off.

 **\- Remember the Creature in that vault ? I told you about it in New Orleans, while you were helping me escape Rayna and Damon kept me informed on what was going on.** , I heard Klaus's breath quicken, suddenly interested.

 **\- The Bennett witch kept it locked in here. I know that for a fact, dear friend.** , he replied, sure of himself.

 **\- Except at that time, Rayna hadn't given her the Huntress Curse yet. And when she did, the only way to save Bonnie was to kill the Last Everlasting. Who was in the vault, in case you haven't figured it yet.** , I mused, knowing I was almost there.

 **\- She was too weak to cancel her spell on The Armory.** , the impulsive original guessed, not liking where it was going at all. **What did you stupid morons do ?!** , he screamed, starting to understand.

 **\- We used Caroline's twins, who siphoned the spell of The Armory. Then Damon entered the vault, to burn the Last Everlasting, and saved Bonnie. But the Creature got him, and Enzo, when he came searching for Damon.** , I revealed, smirking a little because I knew there was no way he would refuse helping me now.

 **\- Your stupid, idiot, selfish, _fucking_ brother ! ** , Klaus yelled, furious, as he realized what it meant.

I got him right where I wanted. He understood it meant the Creature was out. And from what we've seen and what we know, the Creature can possess _anyone_ : supernatural or not. We also noticed she had a thing for powerful beings, and liked to increase the darkness and evilness in them. Which meant something Klaus couldn't stand : his family was in danger, just like any regular human. He may be an Original, but he wasn't powerful enough to face the danger the Creature represented. Let alone resist her influence. And not being the strongest one was Klaus's second fear. The first one was knowing his family was in danger. The two things he feared and hated the most were happening, and he couldn't refuse to help me anymore. Because helping me would also mean saving his family.

 **\- What can you do ?** , I asked more seriously, focusing back on the danger that was running above our heads right now.

 **\- I'll get the witches of New Orleans to put a protection spell on all of us.** , he replied unwillingly, and I could tell he was seconds from breaking down in pure anger. **On me, my family, you, Caroline and her twins, Bonnie and Ric.** , he clarified, before hanging up.

Knowing Klaus, no doubt he would be breaking everything in his house the minute he hung up.

But at least I knew we were protected. _For now_.

Sighing worriedly, I put the phone back in my pocket, and left my bedroom to join the others in the living-room. We had to find a plan, _soon_.

* * *

 **Bonnie's POV : **

Ric had told us everything about . And the fact the Creature could be the one behind it. It kept getting worse day by day... If the Creature was after us now, and if that woman I met at the restaurant _was_ the Creature, we were in deep shit. Things just got way more complicated.

Unwillingly, I let out a frustrated sigh, which caused Ric to send me an apologetic look. I was so fucking tired of this ! Why couldn't life be easy for once, and let me live in peace, with the people I needed in my life ?! Without mentioning that my magic still hadn't shown any sign of coming back yet. I had to do something about that too, very soon. I couldn't keep going on like that. So helpless, so vulnerable and... useless.

I was a Bennett Survivor for God's Sake ! My powers couldn't just be... snatched away from me so easily ! There had to be a way to get them back : I just had to find it. Like in 1994.

 **\- The Creature knows we're after her.** , Stefan stated, pulling me out of my thoughts, as I focused on his serious expression. **And we don't know a lot about her. Except the fact she might be that woman Bonnie met at the restaurant, or that woman might control the Creature.** , he added, as we all nodded in agreement with his hypothesis.

 **\- And everything we learned about it via might be completely false... So we have to find out the truth.** , Caroline reminded us, and I groaned in frustration.

 **\- We just called Matt, begging him to help us find that witch, and it might be for nothing... He's gonna kill us.** , I sighed, rubbing my forehead.

Taking a seat on the couch, Stefan shook his head, obviously as frustrated as I was.

 **\- Maybe not everything is fake. We have to find out.** , he tried to be optimistic, and I sent him a doubtful look.

 **\- Anyway, the most important thing right now is finding a plan.** , Ric suggested, before pouring some Bourbon into a glass.

That gesture reminded me of Damon, and my eyes stared at Ric for a moment. He gave me a confused look, and I shook my head, trying to regain my senses.

 **\- First : we need to protect ourselves. If the Creature knows about us, she might try to kill us. We have to find a way to keep her away from us, or at least gain some time to learn more about her, before she decides to attack.** , Caroline spoke, looking at all of us for a reaction.

 **\- I agree. But if this Creature is magic, nothing will be able to protect us, except -** , I was cut off by a pouting and smart Caroline.

 **\- magic.** , she finished, nodding in disappointment. **And you lost yours, which means we have no way to protect ourselves from that thing.** , she added, and I pursed my lips, nodding at her.

We all stayed silent for a moment, realizing this battle was going to be way more dangerous than we thought. This was going to be a real war. But not a fair one : the Creature had magic, controlled people's mind and could steal their souls away, while we knew close to nothing about her, and were all extremely weak compared to her strength. None of this was encouraging.

Hesitant, Stefan contemplated the beautiful weather outside, before facing us again.

 **\- In fact, I already took care of our protection.** , he informed us, watching our confused faces.

 **\- How ?** , I questionned, lifting an eyebrow in suspicion. I didn't like his tone at all...

 **\- Klaus.** , Stefan blurted out, frowning a little as he avoided our eyes.

My eyes widened in pure shock. I didn't know what to say, and I forgot how to talk for a moment. Seemed to be the same for Alaric, as I glanced at him. I didn't think about Klaus at all, as a means to protect us. But I admitted it was quite intelligent, even though it was also risky. We weren't on really good terms with the Mikaelsons.

Caroline's mouth hung open for a moment, in surprise and utter shock, but she managed to speak first :

 **\- I don't think it's a good idea, Stefan...** , my best friend shook her head, standing up to face him. **Klaus kind of forgot about us since Rayna, but him helping us once more means we'll owe him one day. And I hate this idea.** , she added, frowning in a worried way.

 **\- I don't like this either, Caroline.** , Stefan stated, sighing. **But I can't think of anyone else, or anything else, able to protect us against this thing, for now. Klaus controls a whole city, in which there are many witches. He asked them to put a protection spell on all of us.** , he explained, staring at us with an uncomfortable expression.

 **\- What makes you think he'll actually do it ?** , Ric asked, lifting an eyebrow, not sure about this situation.

 **\- I know he will. Because I found the ultimate argument.** , Stefan retorted, smiling a little in pride.

 **\- How did you get him to agree ?** , I questionned, tilting my head to the side, suddenly interested.

 **\- I told him all about the Creature, and what happened to Damon and Enzo. And I also specified that this Creature was a threat to any supernatural being, since it was very ancient, magical and powerful. Including for him and his family.** , he answered with a smirk.

 **\- Smart one.** , Caroline admitted, smiling back at him. **I guess we don't have much choice. At least Klaus and these witches are powerful enough to be trusted for our safety.** , she sighed in defeat.

* * *

For the next hour, we discussed our plan.

We decided to focus on Stefan's suggestion, about me and Elena being the reasons why Damon and Enzo lost their humanity in the first place. It seemed only logic that we could also be the keys to bring it back to them. But we still had a problem : Kai's curse.

Caroline suggested that she and Stefan work on it, and try to find information on how we could break it. We hadn't really tried to know if there was actually a way to put an end to this sleeping spell before, because we were too busy with The Heretics, the Phoenix Stone, Rayna, and The Armory.

Ric informed us he had to go back to Dallas with the twins. They had been staying at a friend of Ric's, near Mystic Falls, but he wanted to take them away from here again. As soon as possible. Which I understood perfectly. Anyways, he told us he'd do some more researches on the Creature in Dallas. He was a history professor, and taught occult sciences : he knew a lot about legends like that, and he knew a lot of other people who would be able to help him a little. Let's hope the Creature didn't know about that. But I guess with the protection spell, she couldn't spy on us like she probably did for .

As for me, everyone suggested I try to get my powers back. So my mission was to find out _how_. Concerning Damon and Enzo, we all agreed we couldn't fight them again, before doing everything we discussed before. It was way too dangerous : we were too weak. However, Stefan insisted on the fact that we keep tabs on them, so we knew where they were when we were ready to face them once for all.

We didn't tell Matt about the possible non-existence of the witch, because we wanted to find out if that part of _Fake 's_ story was a complete lie or not. If Matt found out the address, at least we knew there was indeed a witch involved in the Creature's history. So we were waiting for his call.

Until then, luck was our only ally.

* * *

One week had passed, since Ric returned to Dallas, and everyone got started on their mission. I read every magic book I could, but found nothing on how to get my powers back, after what I experimented. I was getting extremely hopeless, and my situation was nerve-wracking.

Caroline and Stefan found some information about the curse Kai cast on me and Elena, but nothing we didn't know already. Kai had nicely explained all the spell's effects to us, in his sweet little video, before Damon cut his head off...

We still didn't have any news about Matt, and Ric was still doing researches about the Creature. Things weren't really progressing...

That's why, feeling I needed a break, I decided to go to me and Enzo's former cabin.

I hadn't had the chance to meet him at the restaurant. And though I knew he was probably in the same state as Damon, it kind of frustrated me. The Boarding House reminded me of Damon, but I needed to feel close to Enzo too. And the cabin was the best place for that.

Locking my car, I stepped out of it, and walked to the door. Hesitantly, I put my hand on the doorknob, and pushed it open. Nothing had changed, since I left to move in the Salvatores' House. It was exactly the way it was, before the night Enzo and I left hurriedly, after having Damon over the phone. Except it was a little dirty, since nobody stayed here after that night. It had been months since someone took care of the small cabin.

Placing Enzo's guitar down, which I had brought with me to the cabin, I headed towards our bedroom. I checked if everything was still there, and it was : some of my clothes, Enzo's favourite record (that he played for New Years Eve), and my box, containing personnal items. The one I packed before leaving Whitmore for good, the day Enzo kidnapped me to save me from Alex's minions.

I picked it up, sitting on the bed, and opened it in one swift motion. I stared at the contents, nostalgic and sad. There were pictures of me and Caroline, me and Elena, and the three of us, before everything went wrong. I also found some pictures of me and Grams, my dad, Abby, and Grams' favourite perfume. I kept it as a memory of her.

There was also the only picture I had of me and Damon. No one knew about this one : we took it during our Europe trip with Ric, but he was obviously absent when we took it. It was on top of a roof : Damon and I decided to visit Barcelona, in Spain, and I wanted to have a better view of the city. Before I had the chance to utter a single word, he encircled my waist, and jumped on top of a house roof. No one had seen us, though it was during the day. The sight was stunning, and to my surprise, Damon was the one suggesting we take a photo as a memory. I remember he said something about it being the only time I'd have the chance to take a selfie in Barcelona, on top of a roof. And with a sexy vampire. I could still see myself rolling my eyes at him in annoyance. But we did it. Damon's arm was wrapped around my shoulder, our cheeks glued together, as we both smiled at the camera. It was one of Damon's rare genuine grin. The one that was only reserved for me, since I had never witnessed him smiling this way at Elena or his brother. I loved this picture.

This memory brought another one, of me and Enzo this time. I replayed our guitar sessions on the couch, smiling and laughing, him mocking me because I was a mess at playing guitar. It was also on that couch that we kissed for the first time. I smiled at the memory. I missed my boyfriend a lot. I just didn't think about him as much as I thought about Damon, because I had the time to live happily with him before he got possessed. Unlike Damon. There was something missing in the current state of me and Damon's relationship, while everything was complete in me and Enzo's. I think that's what was harder, concerning Damon's absence.

But again, my emotions and feelings had been all over the place since the day my best friend told me he abandoned me, and I was still asking myself if every decisions I took during those past three years were completely genuine... and _right_. From the moment Damon decided to leave my life, my heart broke. And everybody knew the decisions you took when your heart was broken, weren't always the best ones. I couldn't deny the fact that I questionned myself a lot about my relationship with Enzo, though I appeared very much in love and secure about my couple.

I had to admit my behavior towards Damon was little too much : I wanted to throw him my relationship with Enzo in the face, because I knew it would hurt him. And I wanted him to hurt as much as he hurt me. I knew seeing me and Enzo interact, kissing, and being cute together was a painful reminder that he couldn't do that with Elena until a decade or so. The fact that he abandoned me for Elena was the reason why I was rubbing my happiness with Enzo in his face. I figured if she was the reason why he abandoned me, then she should be the reason why I would hurt him. I was extremely furious with him, at that point. Now, I was able to take a look at my childish behavior, and admit it was really idiot, stupid, and immature.

But it had also revealed a side of Damon I didn't know, when it came to me : jealousy and possessiveness. I noticed he acted that way on several occasions, while watching me and Enzo. It wasn't a secret he hated my boyfriend, or didn't like him at least. His weird behavior confused me for a long time, and it still did today, but I waved it off as some friendship jealousy kind of thing. He wasn't used to another man being this close to me, except him. Since the prison world, Damon was the only man I was very intimate with, on an emotional part. I didn't dare thinking it could be something else. He was very much in love with _Elena_ , my best friend. So it wasn't an option. And I was extremely in love with Enzo...

Trying to get those troubling thoughts out of my head, I walked back into the living-room, sat on the couch and picked up Enzo's guitar. Slowly, I tried to remember the chords he taught me, playing our special song. I hummed along the sound of the guitar, smiling a little as I remembered our moments together in the cabin. Soon, tears welled up in my eyes, because all of this was too much to take. I realized I missed Enzo more than anything, above all this side of him that always provided me comfort and peace. Something I had been looking for because of Damon's dessication, and something I was looking for right now, because of their absence.

Tears ran down my cheeks like a fontain, and some of them dropped on the guitar, but I didn't care. My body and my mind needed to _exteriorize_ everything they had been feeling lately. Anger flooded my body, along with despair, fear, sadness, loneliness...and a wave of negative emotions overwhelmed me, taking control. It was like everything I had been bottling up for months, suddenly lashed out. Before I knew what was happening to me, I stood up and threw the guitar on the floor violently, screaming out of rage. I was a real fury, mad at the Universe for giving me such a horrible existence.

When I calmed down after some seconds passed, I noticed a dark figure out of the corner of my eye. Wipping the remaining tears off my cheek, I turned around to have a better look, and froze.

 **\- Well hello there, _darling_. I see you've missed me like crazy. ** , his familiar british accent filled my ears.

His eyes followed the broken guitar on the floor with a smirk.

Swallowing hard, I tried to focus on him. A very complicated thing right now, since I was just coming out of an intense episode of madness. Seeing him was a shock and a surprise.

 **\- E-Enzo...** , I whispered, still not believing he was in front of me, and finally remembering how to use my voice and mouth.

 **\- Glad you haven't forgotten how my face looked like, love.** , his smirk was so inhumane it sent chills through my whole body, even in my heart.

 **\- What... What are you doing here ?** , I managed to ask, feeling my heart pound at an alarming pace. He didn't look like good news at all.

I took a closer look at him. Something I shouldn't have done, judging by the sound of my heart breaking into a million of pieces. He was wearing his usual clothes, and his face looked exactly the same. Except his hair, which had grown a little.

But his eyes... and his facial expression... they were heartless, cold, inhumane, dark, evil. And it did something to my core. Enzo had always been so nice to me, so protective, and so caring... I was used to reading all these sides of him on his face, since he was a very sensitive and expressive person. Seeing the emotionless expression of my boyfriend's face directed towards me for the first time, with nothing but coldness and indifference in his eyes, broke my heart all over again. It wasn't the man I had spent three years with, it wasn't the boyfriend who looked at me with so much love, tenderness and passion anymore... It wasn't Enzo anymore. It was a monster.

Reality hit me in the face.

 **\- So, you might wonder why I've decided to show up right now. Remember I told you we'd meet again, at the restaurant ?** , Enzo started, walking closer to me until we were eye to eye.

I said nothing, but held his gaze. Something told me his next sentence wouldn't be good for me.

 **\- Well, something bothered me, back at the restaurant.** , he frowned, staring into my defiant orbs. **Damon didn't kill you. He spared your life. And I don't like it.** , he continued, raising his eyebrows. **Because it means something very dangerous for me, and for him too : you're the first person he's unable to kill. Quite contradictory and disturbing, judging by the fact he's _soulless_. ** , Enzo explained, and I stayed silent, waiting for him to finish whatever the hell he wanted to tell me. **In other words, you were able to have an effect on him, and trick the influence of the Creature. And if you can have that sort of power over _him_ , imagine what you're capable to do to _me_. I can't take that risk. ** , he announced somberly.

He said that as if having a soul, and fighting the desire to kill one of the most important person in your life, was the most terrible thing that could happen to him.

 **\- That's why I have to kill you, my love.** , Enzo finally revealed, stroking my cheek.

Frightened, my eyes widened in fear, and I jerked backwards. Enzo laughed darkly, obviously amused by my poor reaction. He knew I couldn't escape him : I was human and powerless, I was completely at his mercy.

But hearing him pronounce this sentence broke me even more than I thought was possible. The man I was in love with, wanted to _kill_ me. He'd do it with no emotions, no second glances and no regrets. Because I meant _nothing_ to him anymore, and he was ruled by darkness. Controlled by this Creature. I knew he was like that, much like Damon, but hearing him say those words, and witnessing it in person was something else. It became more realistic. I had lost him for good.

Watching as the veins around his eyes appeared, and his fangs came out, I took a deep breath, preparing for a certain death. Then I watched him pounce on me.

* * *

 ***** TO BE CONTINUED *****

 _So, hey everyone ! Here's Chapter 3, FINALLY. I know, please forgive me again for taking so much time to update.  
_

 _Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. I know there's not a lot of Bamon moments for now, but as the story progresses, I'll be able to make them interact more. For now, we're still at the beginning of the story. I decided to add this Bonenzo moment, because I figured it's only logic Bonnie missed him too, and that she'd need to feel close to her boyfriend too, at some point. She's not aware of her feelings for a certain blue-eyed vampire yet. And Enzo's important to her, still._

 _So, tell me what you've thought about this chapter. Did you see Fake coming ? It could really change everything for the gang, since what they thought they had learned about the Creature might be completely false. What do you think's gonna happen in the next chapter ?_

 ***** REVIEWS MUCH APPRECIATED **  
**

 _Kisses, and thanks for reading and commenting,  
_

 _KatemonLazuli._


End file.
